Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It all began with a knock.

Tenzin blinked groggily and sat up slowly. He looked at his wife. Pema was still asleep, curling in on her slightly bulging belly.

He couldn’t help but smile. She was just beginning to show. Soon they would welcome another child into their little family. He couldn’t wait. He loved her so much-

Another knock. Louder. More insistent.

Pema frowned in her sleep, eyelids fluttering.

Tenzin cursed under his breath and got out of bed. Stumbling over to the door, he nudged it open and peeked out.

A sheepish looking Ikki met his gaze.

“Ikki?” He whispered.

“Daddy, I saw a spirit!” She squealed.

“A spirit.” He said flatly. “Where?”

“I went to get a glass of water from the kitchen. But then I saw something lying in the moonlight. It was a spirit!” She babbled. “I wanted to go over and poke it, but then I realised it might be a mean spirit. So, I went to get you- “

“Ikki.”

“It’s in the courtyard.” She smiled. “I hope it’s nice.”

Tenzin huffed, glancing at his sleeping wife, before turning back to her and nodding. “Give me a moment. We’ll deal with it together.”

Ikki clapped excitedly. Even though it was the middle of the night, she was still full of energy.

Tenzin put on a robe and followed her out. While they walked, Ikki ranted about the spirit, wondering if it might be a new friend. He just mumbled along, too tired to answer her properly.

He hadn’t expected to see anything. Thinking that it was just Ikki’s hyper imagination getting the better of her. He’d assure her everything was okay, then get her a glass of water and put her to bed.

But no. There was something there. A body. Lying in the pale moonlight.

It quite rattled him.

“Ikki…”

“See! It’s a spirit.” She said, jumping up and down.

“Ikki, it’s not a spirit.” He murmured. “It’s…a person. I need to take a closer look. Stay here.”

“Aww.” She pouted.

Tenzin ignored her and crept closer to the body. He quickly saw that it was too small to be an adult. It was a child.

Immediately, his fatherly instincts kicked in and his pace quickened. He had no idea how the child had gotten onto the island, but he didn’t care. They needed his help.

I hope they’re alive. He prayed.

The child, a boy, was shirtless. He only had a pair of flimsy trousers on. No shoes.

He was also bald. And he had tattoos. Blue arrows. One on his head and others that snaked around his arms and legs.

Tezin recognised them immediately. The boy was a master airbender.

That doesn’t make any sense. I’m the only master airbender in the entire world. The last person to have received them as a child was my father, Avatar Aang. His mind raced, trying to come up with an explanation for what he was seeing. Maybe Ikki was right. Maybe it is a wayward spirit.

“Daddy?” Ikki called out. She was getting worried.

“I’m okay.” He answered. “Just…just stay there.” He took a deep breath and forced himself onward, step by step, until he reached the body, or spirit, or whatever it was.

He gingerly reached out and touched the boy’s arm.

His hand met solid warmflesh.

He recoiled.

It wasn’t a spirit. It was real.

His father had returned.

Aang groaned but did not stir. Tenzin took a closer look at him. He was covered in small wounds, burns and scratches. Thankfully, none of them seemed serious.

He’s so small.Tenzin realised. So fragile.Despite it being well, his father, his own paternal feelings had not abated. He wanted to protect this child version of Aang. Nurse him back to health.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he lifted Aang up into his arms. He would bring him to the dorms. They had plenty of spare rooms. As for treating his wounds…he would do his best. They could get a healer in the morning. Only one thing was certain, he wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight. And Pema, when she woke up, would be wondering where he had gone. And Ikki was waiting for answers. And everyone else-

He took a deep breath. One thing at a time Tenzin. Don’t panic. Take it one thing at a time. Start with the dorms, then Ikki. Good. That’s a plan.

“AANG!” A voice rang out. Wary. Worried. And painfully familiar.

A teenage version of his mother emerged from the darkness. She was dressed in blue and wore her grandmother’s betrothal necklace. The only odd thing about her was that her hair was loose, not in loops.

She came to a skittering halt when she saw him and took a defensive stance, her eyes narrowing. She didn’t know if she could trust him.

“It’s all right.” Tenzin said quickly, scrambling for words. “I’m not going to hurt you. No one here is going to hurt you. It’s safe. I-I just want to help.”

His mother- Katara stared at him, mouth agape.

She’s seen my tattoos.Tenzin realised. She knows what I am.

There was a loud squeal. Ikki came careening in on a ball of air, almost hyperventilating with excitement.

“It’s gran-gran!” She screamed. Then she saw Aang in his arms and screamed again. “And Grandpa!”

Katara’s eyes went impossibly wide, and she opened and closed her mouth like a fish.

“Ikki. Stop.” Tenzin demanded. He had to keep the situation under control.

“Why are you so young? Are you a spirit? Where did you come from?” Ikki ignored him and barraged Katara with questions.

“Ikki! Stop it!” Tenzin raised his voice, tiredness getting the better of him.

Ikki froze, lip wobbling. She was on the verge of tears.

“Ikki, I’m sorry for snapping at you, but I need you to behave. This situation is stressful enough. We have to help them.” He said desperately.

Ikki paused for a few moments and then nodded, clamping a hand over her mouth to stop herself from talking.

“Good girl.” He smiled at her and then turned to Katara. “Mo- Katara, Aang needs your help. He needs a healer. He needs you.”

Katara immediately snapped back to reality. “Do you have somewhere I can treat him?”

“Yes. The dorms. We have plenty of spare rooms.” He hefted Aang up and motioned with his head. “This way.” He looked at his daughter. “Ikki?”

She perked up. “Yes?”

“I know you’re not getting any sleep tonight. So, for now, you can come with us. Just stay on your best behaviour.”

“Yay!” She cheered.

He led them to the women’s dorms. The spare rooms were at the very end of the hallway. Ikki ran ahead and opened one of them, and they all trailed in after her.

Tenzin gently put Aang down on the bed and turned on the lights, making Katara jump.

Oh right. She didn’t have electricity back in her time. This is so weird. He cleared his throat. “You can examine him. Ikki and I will remain here in case you have any questions.”

Katara nodded and knelt down next to Aang, studying his wounds with a serious face.

Tenzin sighed and sat in the chair next to the bed. It was going to be a long night.

Ikki climbed into his lap and hugged him.

Together, they watched as Katara bent the water from her pouch and started healing Aang.

It took her a while to treat all of his wounds. Eventually, she put the water away and slumped on the edge of the bed. “He’s going to be all right.” She murmured, stifling a yawn. “There won’t be any scars.”

“Thank goodness.” Tenzin said, smiling in relief.

Katara eyed him wearily. “Who…who are you?”

“I’m Tenzin- “

“And I’m Ikki!” Ikki introduced herself with a wave.

“You...you’re both airbenders. But they’re all dead…Aang is meant to be the last one...” She choked up. “How? How are you alive?”

“It’s a long, long, story.” Tenzin said. “Now is probably not the best time to tell it.”

Katara shook her head. “Tell me.”

“You’re exhausted.” Tenzin said. “And you need to look after Aang. Tomorrow, I’ll tell you everything. I promise.”

Katara hesitated for a moment and then nodded.

“Do you…do you remember anything?” He asked slowly.

Katara frowned. “I was with Zuko- “

“Prince Zuko!” Ikki yelled, very loudly.

Katara flinched.

“I’m so sorry.” Ikki apologised, turning red.

“It’s fine.” Katara mumbled.

“Please continue.” Tenzin encouraged her.

“I was with Zuko. We were flying together on Appa. Aang had…something had gone wrong. There was fire. Fire everywhere.” Katara muttered. “Then…darkness. I can’t remember anything else.” She hugged herself and squeezed her eyes shut.

Tenzin’s heart went out to her. “Everything’s going to be okay.” He smiled gently at her. “We’ll find a way to get you home. In the meantime, you can stay here as long as you want.”

Katara’s eyes suddenly snapped open. “Ozai!”

“What?”

“Aang was fighting Ozai. When we- before we came here.”

Ikki gasped. “The evil fire guy!”

“He is evil. Very evil.” Katara agreed.

“My daddy told me about all about him!” Ikki grinned. “How he almost destroyed the entire world.”

“What?”

Tenzin picked up his daughter and jumped to his feet. “I am going to put Ikki to bed. I think we’ve all had enough excitement for one night.”

“But dad- “

“No buts.” Tenzin shook his head. “It’s time for rest.” He turned to Katara. “You can stay here. I’ll bring some more pillows and blankets.”

“All right.” Katara replied, curling up next to Aang.

Tenzin returned Ikki to her room, arguing with her all the way, and tried to put her to bed. It was impossible. He only managed to do it after promising her some serious one on one playtime.

He grabbed some blankets and pillows from a cabinet in the hallway and returned to Aang’s room.

Unsurprisingly, Katara was already sound asleep.

Tenzin put a blanket on top of her and Aang and made himself comfortable in the chair. He didn’t want to leave them alone in case they woke up in the middle of the night and needed more help.

He’d never realised just how young both of his parents had been when they had defeated Ozai and saved the world.

Why are they here? In all the history books I’ve read, I’ve never come across anything like this before. He thought. They’ve travelled through time…except not quite. The present’s still the same. What if…what if something bad happens? His head began to hurt. I can’t think about it now. I need to get some sleep.

He shut his eyes and tried to relax, hoping against hope, that the world did not end before he woke up.

Eventually, sheer exhaustion drove him to slumber.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking him awake.

Tenzin opened his eyes, only to be met by Katara’s soft blue ones.

“Gah!” He exclaimed, almost falling out of the chair.

“S-sorry.” Katara backpedalled.

“It’s okay.” Tenzin said, scrambling to his feet. He looked at Aang, only to see that he was still sleeping. “Did he…?”

“No. He didn’t stir at all.” Katara said.

“…” Tenzin ducked his head.

“Tenzin, it’s morning.” Katara informed him.

He looked outside the window. Sure enough, the sun was just beginning to rise, tinting the sky pink.

“Right. I need to deal with…all this.” He cleared his throat. “I am going to rouse the temple, tell everyone what’s happened, and then I’ll come right back.”

Katara bit her lip, staring at Aang and then at him.

“You can stay here. I’ll be as fast I can.” He said quickly. “As soon as everything’s settled, I’ll answer all your questions. But first, I think it’d be good for you to have a bite to eat and put on some fresh clothing. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“I’ll bring some clothing for Aang as well.” Tenzin blinked, realising something. “We only have airbender robes. Is that okay?”

“It’s fine. I’m not picky.”

Tenzin nodded and left the room.

Most of the acolytes were already awake, getting the temple ready for the day.

He strode past all of them, heading for his rooms. He would get Pema up first, then his children, and then he would gather everyone together-

“Sir! Tenzin!” An acolyte yelled, running up to him breathlessly.

Tenzin sighed. “What is it?”

“The phone- the main line- rang multiple times this morning.”

“I’m kind of busy at the moment. Tell them to call back later.”

“It was the police chief.”

That caught his attention. He gave the acolyte a pointed look. “ Lin called?”

“She was ummm, angry that you weren’t awake.” The acolyte admitted. “She said she needed to speak to you. It was something urgent.”

Tenzin furrowed his brow. He didn’t want to leave her in the lurch, but he did have to help Katara and Aang. “Did she mention what it was?”

“I-I didn’t get much. It was something about her mother. She said that she-”

“Her mother? Toph Beifong?”

“Yes. Her.” The acolyte paled. “She…she said her mother had turned into a child.”

“What?”

Chapter Text

Because she was the Chief of Police of Republic City, Lin Beifong dealt with a lot of bullshit in her life.

Like being woken up by a frantic call from the station in the middle of the night, because there was a metalbender on the loose in the docks, and that they had already defeated several of her best officers.

She immediately assumed that the metalbender was an ex-cop that had gone rogue.

So, she threw on some clothing and her armour, ran out of her apartment, hopped into her satomobile, and raced off to take them down.

The ride to the docks was quick. The streets were relatively deserted at that time of night.

She heard the fighting before she saw it. Screams, yells, rocks being thrown, and the screech of metal being bent.

As soon as she got out of her vehicle, an officer landed right in front of her with an “ooph!”, before groaning and passing out.

She gritted her teeth and ran around the corner.

A chaotic sight greeted her.

Lampposts, tram lines, and entire sections of the road had been torn out of the ground. Bodies were strewn around, including more of her officers. She hoped everyone was all right.

Something at the end of the street caught her attention. A flash of green.

She narrowed her eyes. It was…a little girl, who suddenly chuckled and waved at her.

Lin grumbled. The girl was mocking her. “Who are you?” She yelled.

The girl laughed loudly. “Have you come to fight me as well? I hope you put up a better fight than these losers.”

Lin frowned. She couldn’t believe that someone so young could’ve defeated all her best officers. They didn’t recruit children into the police force. She had no idea who this little girl was.

She didn’t want to fight a child. She had to try to talk her down.

“Who are you?” She repeated.

“I’m Toph Beifong, the greatest earthbender in the world!” The girl boasted.

Lin’s heart skipped a beat. “Quit joking around young lady. Who are you really?”

The girl just laughed and laughed, her shoulders heaving with mirth.

“Well, whoever you are, I need to bring you into custody. This ends now.” Lin bellowed, taking a fighting stance.

“I’d like to see you try. This is such a great dream!” The girl said, shifting her feet.

The whole street shuddered. Lin reacted, launching herself into the air just as the ground caved in behind her.

The girl started tearing pieces out of the road and throwing them at her. A whole barrage of rocks.

Lin dodged them all. She could’ve easily launched them back but didn’t. She didn’t want to hurt the girl.

She also didn’t use her cables.

This girl is the metalbender. She realised. That’s what tripped up my officers. They tried to restrain her, but she took them by surprise and defeated them with her own bending.

She landed further up the street and quickly launched herself into the air again, before the girl could trap her. “Stop this!” She yelled. “Stop damaging my city.”

More laughter. More projectiles. This time it was entire slabs of earth.

Lin sliced them in half and bended them away, making sure they didn’t land on anyone. Then she got an idea. She bent one of the slabs behind her and used it as a launch pad, landing a few meters from her opponent.

“Nice move.” The girl said.

Lin just scowled in response, using the pause to take a good look at her.

The girl wore old-fashioned clothing. A dark green tunic, a cream overtunic, and a green and gold headband in her black hair. But her eyes…they were milky white.

She was blind.

Lin froze. Maybe this girl is delusional. She was probably taught metalbending by an ex-officer and decided to dress up like my mother to cause trouble.

“Hey! You put up a better fight than the others, I’ll give you that, but you still failed to defeat me.” The girl mocked her.

“Wha- “Lin stuttered.

The girl held out both her hands and clenched them into fists.

Lin’s armour went rigid, constricting her body and holding her in place. She couldn’t move at all.

“Now…what to do with you…” The girl cocked her head, putting on an expression of mock consideration.

“Wait!” Lin said. “Let’s talk! I don’t want to fight you anymore!”

The girl chuckled and raised her into the air.

Sensing that the girl was about to throw her aside, Lin continued talking. “You defeated all of my officers- “

“I also defeated you.” The girl snarked.

Lin bristled. “Who taught you metalbending?”

“I taught myself.” The girl said. “I’m the very first metalbender.”

Lin tensed. She couldn’t sense any insincerity in the girl’s voice. She genuinely believed what she was saying. Maybe her name really was Toph. And she was just a runaway or an orphan or something. “You said that you thought this was all a dream…”

“It is a dream.” The girl- Toph stated. “A very realistic dream.”

“Tell me what happened…please.” Lin asked, trying to keep her temper. She couldn’t afford to upset the girl. “How did you get here?”

“I woke up in an alley. Some men tried to mug me, so I beat them up. More thugs showed up, so I beat them up too.” Toph shrugged. “Then the metalbenders showed up and told me to surrender, so I beat them all up too. Then you showed up…”

“What do you remember before waking up in the alley?” Lin said quickly.

“Not much.” Toph admitted.

“This isn’t a dream.” Lin said. “You- you’re in republic city- “

“What year is it?”

“It’s 170 AG.” [1]

“That means nothing to me.”

“The calendar system was changed after the hundred years war.”

“The war’s over? That means that Aang won.” Toph frowned. “But…none of this makes any sense.”

Lin sighed. She was beginning to believe that, somehow, this girl really was a younger version of her mother. As much as she hated to admit it, she needed Tenzin. This was way out of her league. The only thing she could do was continue talking and try to get the younger Toph to trust her and release her.

“I can prove it. Just put me down.” She insisted.

Toph gave her a look of purest disbelief and shook her head.

“You don’t have to release me.” Lin said desperately. “I just…I’m going to let you interrogate me. And for that, my feet need to be connected to the earth. So that you’ll be able to tell if I’m lying.”

Toph grimaced, but slowly lowered her.

Lin retracted the soles of her shoes and planted her feet firmly on the ground.

“Woah. Nice shoes.” Toph complimented her.

“Ask me any question you want.” Lin said seriously.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Lin Beifong, the Chief of Police of Republic City.”

Toph chortled.

Lin didn’t stop. “Toph Beifong is my mother. She taught me metalbending.”

“There’s another me?” Toph said, half sceptical, half excited.

“Yes.”

Toph stared at her, eyes wide.

She can tell I’m telling the truth. I need to keep going. Lin thought. “Aang’s son also lives in this city. On Air Temple Island. He’s called Tenzin.”

“You… you’re not making any of this up.”

Lin shook her head.

“I’ve ended up in the future.” Toph was silent for a moment and then grinned childishly. “And I’m still the greatest earthbender ever! How old am I? Where do I live?”

“You’re almost 90.” Lin said, giving her an irritated look. “And I don’t know where you are at the moment. You move around a lot.”

“Or you just don’t bother to keep in contact.” Toph joked.

“Look, there’s no point in us just standing around.” Lin said. “You can come home with me. Tomorrow, we can see Tenzin. He’ll be able to help us. He’s an airbending master.”

“Hey, if he’s half as capable as twinkletoes...” Toph said.

“Can you let me go?”

Toph pretended not to hear her.

“Please?”

Toph grinned and lowered her arms.

Lin huffed with relief as she was released, then glanced at the devastation around them and pinched her nose. “Great, now I have to deal with all of this.”

“Hey! They attacked me first.” Toph defended herself.

“Only because you assaulted a bunch of people!” Lin retorted.

“They were criminals! They tried to mug me!” Toph protested. “And I didn’t kill anyone!”

I’ve got a headache coming on…” Vigilante justice is not acceptable. Under any circumstances.” Lin gestured at the debris around them. “Especially when it causes so much destruction.”

“Well, if I see anyone else getting mugged, I’ll just run away instead of helping them.” Toph said, sounding thoroughly unimpressed.

“You can contact the police!”

“How am I supposed to find them? On foot?”

“You can use a payphone…” Lin shut her jaw and glared at her. There was no point in arguing with her. Toph probably didn’t even know what a payphone was.

Toph glared right back, eyes filled with disapproval and disappointment.

Lin suppressed a flinch. That look...shit, she really is my mother. “Follow me.” She snapped.

Toph continued glaring at her, then huffed and nodded.

Lin led her to her Satomobile and opened the passenger-side door for her, before entering on the other side.

“This is so comfortable! I bet I could learn how to drive one of these things.” Toph boasted, swinging her legs.

“Maybe.” Lin said stiffly. “Let me just radio this in and then I’ll take you to my apartment. We’ll see Tenzin in the morning.”

She grabbed her radio, only to notice something was off.

“You need to put your seatbelt on.”

“My what?”

“There’s a belt over your right shoulder.” Lin said. “. You can hook it into place next to you.”

“Why?” Toph questioned.

“It’s for safety.”

“Hah. I don’t need it- “

“Put it on.”

Toph just laughed and shook her head.

Lin sighed and put her radio down. “I know that…” Animals? Vehicles? “…modes of transportation back in your day had pretty lax safety standards, but times have changed.”

Toph looked doubtful.

Lin changed tactics. “As a police officer, I’ve seen a lot of satomobile accidents. Most of them ended in death because people weren’t wearing their seatbelts. They were ejected from the car at high speeds and died on impact.”

Toph’s eyes went wide, and she put her seatbelt on.

Lin grabbed her radio again and immediately called for reinforcements to come and clean up Toph’s mess. She then informed the dispatcher that she was taking the suspect home and to delay the press until morning.

“It’s a very delicate situation. The suspect is a child.” Lin explained.

“But Chief- “The dispatcher said.

“Don’t question me.” Lin demanded. “Now, I’m going to need to see Councilman Tenzin first thing in the morning. I’ll answer the press right after.”

Thankfully, the dispatcher accepted her instructions without further question and signed off.

Lin slammed the radio back into place and started her satomobile. Driving away from the crime scene as fast as she could, she only slowed down once she realised that she was going over the speed limit.

Thank fuck the streets are deserted.She thought.

Toph pursed her lips. “So, Councilman Tenzin, huh.”

“He’s the Air Nation representative on the city council. Every nation has one. They govern the city and make laws.” Lin said.

“And Twinkletoes?” Toph asked smarmily. “What is he doing?”

Lin ducked her head, focusing on driving. Aang had been one of her closest friends. She had no desire to discuss his death.

“Oh! I bet he’s flying around the world saving people.” Toph said. “He must be ancient by now.”

Lin took a deep breath and steeled herself. “He’s dead.”

“What?”

“He died several decades ago. The current Avatar is some girl in the South Pole.” Lin said quickly, not moving her eyes from the road. I’m not good at this emotional stuff.

Toph went very quiet, her expression shuttering.

Lin mentally swore. Great job Lin. Well done for making your mother upset. Again.

“Look, obviously, wherever you came from isn’t here.” She rambled. “If it was, things would be messed up- I mean, I’m fairly certain my mother is still alive.” At least, I think so.“So, if you’re a different version of her, then your Aang is separate from our Aang. Meaning he is likely still alive, back in your world.”

“…Thanks.” Toph said after a few moments.

Lin grunted in reply.

“If I taught you, and you’re the most capable bender I’ve fought so far, then I must be a great teacher.” Toph quipped.

Lin resisted the urge to bash her face into the dashboard. “Yes.” She said through gritted teeth. “You’re a bonafide genius.”

“That’s obvious.” Toph crowed.

“Can we please talk about something else, or nothing at all?” Lin bit back.

“What about the rest of my friends- the different versions of them?”

Lin filled her in. Toph’s face fell when she told her that Sokka, Suki, and many of her other friends were dead, but brightened up when she said that Zuko and Katara were still alive.

“I can’t believe Sparky retired.” Toph grinned. “And Sweetness got together with Twinkletoes. I’m so happy for them.” Her grin evened out into a sad smile. “I’m glad that, in the end, Aang wasn’t the last airbender after all.”

“He was so proud of Tenzin…and his other children.” Lin revealed.

“They had more children!!?”

“Yes. A girl and a boy. Kya and Bumi.”

“Katara’s mother and Aang’s best friend.”

“Yes.”

“Did you…did you know your Aang well?” Toph asked tentatively.

Lin huffed. She didn’t want to have this conversation. “My apartment is on the next street over. I’ll get you something to eat and then you can sleep. Take the bed. I’ll take the couch.”

Toph stared at her for a few moments, then nodded, yawned, closed her eyes, and leaned back in her seat.

Lin drove silently onward, preparing herself for a long night with no sleep.

She prayed that Tenzin was having a better evening.

Chapter Text

Katara tapped her hands against the chair and huffed. She looked at Aang. He was still asleep.

She got up, paced around the room, and then sat down again.

A few more minutes passed. Nothing happened. Every second of waiting was torture.

I need to distract myself. She decided, going to the window, and looking out.

The cityscape was alien to her. She had never seen anything like it before.

Gleaming towers of metal and glass. Strange airships in the air. Impossibly long bridges across the water. The city went on and on. It seemed to never end.

She wasn’t an idiot. She knew that, somehow, they had travelled to the future. A *long* way into the future.

The only place she had been to that had more people living in it was Ba Sing Se. But that’s because it was Ba Sing Se.

I wonder how much Ba Sing Se has changed. If they ever solved the rampant inequality. She sighed, eyes sweeping across the bay.

There was another island. A tiny one. There was nothing on it except a giant statue of a person. With everything else going on, she hadn’t noticed it before.

It’s Aang.She realised, raising a hand to her mouth.

There was a knock at the door.

She backed away from the window and rushed to answer it.

It was Tenzin.

The older airbender smiled at her and handed her some robes and a small tray loaded with food: bread rolls, fried vegetables, and a little bowl of steamed rice. Katara almost salivated. It smelled good.

“Any change?” He asked.

Katara shook her head and sat down, balancing the tray in her lap. She would eat first and then get changed.

Tenzin gave Aang a sad look.

“He’ll wake up sooner than later. Aang is the strongest person I know.” Katara assured him. Despite Tenzin being a stranger, she found his concern for Aang sweet, albeit odd. She bit into one of the rolls and then leaned back with a happy sigh. It was good. She quickly started tearing into the rest of the food.

Tenzin let her eat in silence for a while, then cleared his throat. “I have some news for you. I…I’m not sure if it’s good or bad.”

“Tell me.” She insisted, putting down the tray, before realising the mistake she’d made. “Please.”

“Your friend, Toph has appeared in the city.” Tenzin revealed.

Katara almost leapt of the chair. “Toph! Where is she?”

“On the other side of the city, with Lin Beifong, the Chief of Police.” Tenzin said. “She’ll bring her over in a few hours.”

Katara frowned. “Wait…LinBeifong?”

“She’s Toph’s daughter.” Tenzin said, blushing heavily. “It’s, umm, a long story. How should I put this…she’s the daughter of our Toph.” He stopped talking and scratched the back of his neck.

“We’re in the future, aren’t we?” Katara said, trying to remain calm.

“Y-yes.”

“And there are two different Toph’s. The one from our time, the past, and the one from your time, or rather this time, the future.”

Tenzin nodded.

“How many years have passed?” She asked, giving him a level look.

Tenzin hesitated for a few moments. “I was hoping to address all of this after you’d had a chance to settle in.”

“Tell me.” She persisted.

“Seventy.”

“Oh.” She couldn’t help but wince a little. Everyone we know is dead… She shook her head. No. We just need to get back to our time. Somehow.

“I’ll answer any questions you have.” Tenzin said.

“The statue in the bay…” She took a deep breath. “It’s Aang, isn’t it?

“Yes. He founded Republic City.”

“Republic City?”

“It’s…part of the United Republic of Nations.” Tenzin said matter-of-factly.

Katara raised an eyebrow.

“It’s on the western coast of the Earth kingdom, but it’s not part of any nation. It’s independent.” He clarified. “It takes up quite a large part of land. Not just the city.”

“Woah…” Katara almost gasped in astonishment.

“It was founded by Avatar Aang and Prince Zuko almost sixty years ago.” Tenzin smiled with pride. “I grew up here. I love this city.”

Katara’s heart skipped a beat. His carefree smile was familiar. Too familiar. “Who were your parents?”

Tenzin’s smile became sad. “My father was Avatar Aang.”

That was obvious. But I…I needed to hear it.“And your mother?”

“His best friend. His closest confidant.” Tenzin said wistfully.

“Me.”

“You.”

They shared a look of understanding.

“Am I…?” Katara ventured.

“You’re alive.” Tenzin confirmed.

“And Aang…” She trailed off, looking at her sleeping friend. “You said he was your father.”

“Our Aang passed away seventeen years ago.” Tenzin said. “His successor is a waterbender named Korra, from the Southern Water Tribe.”

“But if we travelled to the future…and Aang is still in the Avatar, what does that mean?” Katara said shakily. “There can’t be two Avatars at the same time.”

“I have no idea what’s going on.” Tenzin admitted. “I don’t know what brought you here. It might be something spiritual.” He kneeled to her level and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “What I do know is that we can’t do anything until Aang wakes up. In the meantime, I can show you around the island and introduce you to the rest of my family.”

“Thank you.” Katara smiled at him warmly.

Tenzin retracted his hand and returned her smile. “You’re not alone in this. We’ll do everything we can to fix this and send you home.”

“I have some other questions.” Katara said.

“Fire away.”

“How did the war end? “What happened to all of our friends? What about the other nations?” Once Katara started talking, she found that she couldn’t stop.

Tenzin flinched. “Can you repeat all of that? One question at a time, please .”

“Sorry.” Katara chuckled sheepishly and repeated her first question.

Slowly but surely, Tenzin filled her in about the current state of the world and the fate of everyone she knew. Some of it was unpleasant, but a lot of it was happy.

“Do you have a job?” She asked, after he’d finished talking.

“I’m a member of the city council, representing the air nation. So, I have a lot of day-to-day duties, deciding laws and things like that.” Tenzin said.

“I have a final question. It’s a difficult one.” She admitted. “Do you have any siblings, and can they airbend?”

Tenzin grimaced, making her feel bad. “I have two siblings. Neither of them are airbenders. My brother, Bumi, is a nonbender, a commander in the United Forces Army, and my sister is a waterbender named Kya, who lives in the South Pole.”

“Kya and Bumi…the perfect names” Katara smiled, feeling her eyes prick with tears. She quickly wiped them with a sleeve.

Tenzin gave her a moment to compose herself and then continued speaking. “All of my children are airbenders.”

“They must be quite a handful.” Katara couldn’t help but laugh.

“They are.” Tenzin grumbled, then smiled. “You’ve met Ikki. But the other two are named Jinora and Meelo. Jinora is the eldest, at eleven, Ikki is seven, and Meelo is five.” He gave her a pointed look. “Fair warning, Jinora and Meelo are veryexcited to meet you. Ikki told them about you as soon as she woke up.”

“Guess I’ll have to prepare myself for three rambunctious airbenders then.” She joked, then bit her lip and looked at Aang. “I’m not sure I want to leave him.”

“I’ll get an acolyte to come and watch over him while you’re gone.” Tenzin said. “And it won’t be for long.”

“O-okay.”

“Before the tour, do you want to have a bath?” Tenzin offered.

“You have hot springs here?” Katara perked up.

“Oh, I didn’t tell you about the wonders of modern plumbing, or electricity.” Tenzin said. “We have built-in bathrooms here.” He went slightly red. “I’ll have someone come and show you.”

Katara nodded.

Tenzin hurried out of the room. A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in.” Katara said.

An acolyte, a woman with a slightly round belly, entered and gave her a big smile. “Hello Katara! I’m Pema. I’m married to Tenzin.”

“Can I ask, are you…?” Katara stared at her.

Pema nodded. “I’m almost six months along.” [1] She sighed comically. “I’m hoping it’s not another airbender. Three are more than enough.”

“How bad are they?” Katara asked.

“They blast wind in my face every five seconds. I also have to break up a lot of airbending fights. I get knocked around a lot.” Pema ranted. “Even worse, I have to run the temple while Tenzin is away at work. I manage the expenses, the duty roster, the kitchen, entertaining and helping any guests…and a lot of the time things go wrong. It’s aggravating.” She smiled wistfully. “I wouldn’t change it for the world. I love this life and I love my family.”

“I know the feeling.” Katara said, remembering her travels with Aang and the rest of the group.

“I’m sure Aang is a handful too.”

“Sometimes.”

“Now, do you want to have a bath?” Pema said. “Tenzin asked me to show you. The bathroom is just down the hall.”

“I would love to.”

Pema picked up her robes and led her there.

Katara was surprised. The room was larger than she thought it would be. It was tiled, with multiple sinks, stalls, and large tubs.

“The bathrooms are communal.” Pema explained. “Just like the old airbender temples.”

“Makes sense.” Katara said. One of the first things Aang had told her about airbender culture was their unique lifestyle, that there were no separate units, everyone lived as one big family.

“Is it okay?” Pema asked cautiously.

“It’s more than okay. It’s great!” Katara beamed. “When I was traveling with my friends, we just made do with whatever we could find. We very rarely stayed with anyone. It got pretty grim sometimes.”

“No, no. That’s now what I meant.” Pema sighed. “Sorry, I get like this sometimes. What I meant is, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Katara said quickly. I am fine. Completely fine.She assured herself desperately.

“Well, if you ever have any problems, just come and find me.” Pema said. “I can help you run a bath if you want, show you how it works?”

“That would be great. Thank you.” Katara said. She was a bit intimidated by all the new technology. She was still trying to wrap her head around the idea of electricity. That all you had to do was flick a switch and you had a better, brighter, source of light than anything she’d had back in her era.

Pema showed her how to operate one of the bathtubs and then ran her a hot bath.

“There’s soap on the side and I’ve put a towel on the floor.” Pema told her. “And I’ll put your new clothes by the door.”

“Thank you again.” Katara said.

“When you’re done, if you want, you can leave your water tribe clothing behind, and we’ll wash it.” Pema said sweetly. “We’ll get it back to you tomorrow.”

“Sure.”

Pema smiled at her and left the room.

Katara sighed with relief. She was finally alone.

She didn’t dislike Pema, but the overtly motherly attitude of the woman was a bit much for her.

This whole situation is messed up.She thought. But I can’t let it get to me. Aang needs me. And I need him. As long as have each other, we can face anything. Even this.

She took a deep breath, shed her clothing, left it neatly folded by the door, and then sank into the tub.

She groaned. The water was the perfect heat. It was heaven.

The wonders of indoor plumbing.She crooked a finger and gently moved the water with her bending. I wonder what Kya is like.She flexed her finger harder, churning the water up. I bet I taught her bending…no ,the other me taught her bending. This future doesn’t belong to me. I need to remember that. She frowned, releasing the water. When Aang wakes up, will he be able to take us home with his Avatar abilities? It seems too easy. But if he does.… will I remember any of this? That in this future, I fell in love with him and married him.

Katara shook her head. She had more important things to think about. Like the fact that one of their friends was stuck there with them.

Toph.

She had to be strong for her too. She knew Toph. The earthbender was a very strong person, but she was still a child.

And she would be there very soon.

Katara raised herself and then sank back into the water. Just a few more minutes. While it’s still warm. I have time.

When the water started to get cold, she reluctantly left the bath, dried herself, and then got dressed.

The airbender robes were a tad large for her, but even so, they were very comfortable.

She opened the door slowly and peeked out. The hallway was deserted. She quickly strode to Aang’s room and entered it quietly.

Tenzin and an acolyte, a young woman, were waiting for her. Aang was still sleeping.

“Ready to leave?” Tenzin asked, looking slightly worried.

“I am.” Katara smiled.

“Lhamo will come and get us if Aang wakes up.” Tenzin nodded at the younger acolyte. “Thank you.”

“It’s a pleasure.” Lhamo said solemnly.

“Thank you.” Katara added.

“A-anything I can do to help, Lady Katara!”. Lhamo suddenly blushed profusely. “It’s such an honour to meet you! T-thanks for speaking to me!”

Katara froze, taken aback by the sheer devotion in her voice.

“You’re my hero- “Lhamo continued babbling.

“Thank you again Lhamo. But we need to leave now. Let’s go Katara.” Tenzin took Katara gently by the shoulder and hustled her out of the room. In the hallway, he turned to her with an apologetic expression. “Everyone is very starstruck I’m afraid. My mother hasn’t left the South Pole in years. And well…you are your friends are rather legendary.”

“Because we saved the world.” Katara muttered, frowning at the floor. “Is it safe to leave Aang with her? If the first thing he sees is an excited stranger…”

“Lhamo is one of my most capable acolytes. She understands how precarious the situation is.” Tenzin said. “Aside from Lin, no one outside the island is aware that you, Aang, and Toph are here. We’re going to do everything we can to keep it that way.”

“Even so, we’re going to need a plan.” Katara wished that her brother was there. He was their strategist.

“We’ll come up with something. Now, brace yourself.” Tenzin warned her.

“O-okay”

As soon as they went outside, they were ambushed by three excited gusts of air as the airbending kids landed next to them.

Katara already knew who Ikki was, but she immediately pegged the older girl as Jinora and the young boy as Meelo.

Jinora gasped and covered her mouth, making Ikki smirk at her, while Meelo stared at them in deep confusion.

“See! I told you I was telling the truth!” Ikki crowed.

“I don’t understand.” Meelo said, scratching his head. “Why is she so important?” He grinned toothily at her. “She is pretty though.”

“Hello.” Katara said, managing a smile. She was doing her best to appear calm, but in reality, her heart was beating wildly. Out of both excitement and apprehension. Part of her wanted to rush back into the dorms and hide. But to meet more airbenders…she couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

Jinora went very red, just like Lhamo had done. She opened her mouth and tried to speak, only to suddenly wheeze and start hyperventilating.

“Jinora!” Tenzin rushed to her side and put a hand on her back. “Remember your breathing exercises! In and out!”

Jinora nodded and followed his advice, quickly regaining her breathing.

Ikki laughed. “Jinora is a massive nerd. She’s read everything about you and Grandpa Aang. Everything.”

“Ikki!” Jinora snapped. “Stop it!”

“She’s even written stories where she adventured with you.” Ikki continued gleefully.

“Those were private.” Jinora squeaked.

Both sisters glared at each other.

“Fight! Fight!” Meelo yelled.

Tenzin sighed and gave his younger daughter a disapproving look. “Ikki! Have you been rummaging through your sister’s things again?”

“N-no.” The younger airbender shook her head and stumbled away from her older sibling.

“Please go and join your mother.” Tenzin instructed. “Take Meelo with you.”

“But the tour!” Ikki complained.

“Jinora and I will handle it. Don’t worry, you can talk to Katara later.” Tenzin said.

Ikki pouted, grabbed Meelo, and sped off.

“Are they always as rambunctious as this?” Katara asked.

“They’re terrible.” Jinora muttered, then blinked as she realised who she was talking to and went red again.

“I understand. Sokka can be pretty annoying too sometimes.” Katara commiserated with her.

“I never met him.” Jinora said sadly. “I never got to hear one of his jokes.”

“His jokes are terrible.” Katara said. “So many puns and immature jibes…but hey, you got to meet me, and you’re about to show me around your lovely home.”

Jinora perked up and nodded vigorously.

Tenzin watched them both with a smile.

“Where do you want to start?” Katara said.

“Oh! The bison caves!”

“You have flying bison?”

“My grandfather- Avatar Aang found an entire herd of them on a remote island. They were a new species. Apparently, even the Air Nomads didn’t know about them.” Jinora lectured with a grin.

“Well, please show me.” Katara requested. She missed Appa.

Jinora squealed and grabbed her hand, dragging her towards the beach.

Tenzin followed them at a distance, still smiling.

Chapter Text

Katara couldn’t believe it. There was a whole group of bison in the cave. Some of them were almost as big as Appa. The only differences between them was that they were pale brown instead of white and their arrows were slightly darker.

“That’s Oogi! He’s my dad’s bison.” Jinora pointed at the largest one. “And that’s Lychee!” She pointed at another. “And that’s Howl!” She went on and on and named every single one of them.

Katara’s head spun. Jinora was too fast for her. She only snapped out of it when something large and verywet nudged her in the back.

She whirled around and smiled.

Oogi had come over to say hello.

“Hello Oogi.” She reached out and gingerly patted the bison on his snout before gaining confidence and coming closer to give him a proper cuddle.

The other bison flocked around her. She patted as many of them as she could.

“They like you!” Jinora cheered.

“Yeah-oof!” Katara flailed around, barely keeping herself from falling over. One of the bison had gotten too close, smashing right into her.

“Okay, everyone. Give Katara some space. She’s a guest.” Tenzin stepped in, pushing the bison away. Some of them grumbled, but he kept pushing until they had all backed down.

“Thanks.” Katara said. “Can I see the rest of the temple?” She turned to the bison, who were giving her desperate looks. “I’ll be back soon.” She promised. “And I’ll bring a friend.”

The bison relaxed.

“This is so cool!” Jinora said, once they were out of the cave.

“Where to next?” Katara asked.

“Umm…the training grounds!”

Jinora and Tenzin showed her around the whole island. Tenzin didn’t talk much, but Jinora more than made up for it. She knew a lot about her home and airbender history.

Whenever they came across an acolyte, they reacted the same way as Lhamo had, but Katara did her best to ignore them and move on. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with them yet.

The tour was almost over anyway. Soon, she would be able to rejoin Aang and wait for Toph.

“And this is our greenhouse!” Jinora yelled, throwing open the doors of a large glass building.

It was filled with plants, mainly vegetables, but also a few flowers and small trees. Several acolytes were milling around, watering plants, sweeping, or doing other tasks.

“These are actually Air Nation plants. The few that survived the genocide.” Tenzin explained.

“That’s incredible.” Katara whistled in awe.

“Back at the temple, we also have a recipe book for Air Nation cuisine.” Jinora said. “Written by my grandpa and my dad.”

“We’re still coming up with new ones.” Tenzin added.

“Want to see the plants? I know allabout them.” Jinora boasted.

“Sure.”

The Airbender girl grabbed her arm and showed her around the greenhouse, giving another excited lecture.

Katara was able to keep up this time. She had grown accustomed to the young girl’s pace. Tenzin followed them closely, beaming with pride.

“These orange chrysanthemums came from the Eastern Air Temple.” Jinora pointed at several bright flowers. “They were found growing in a sheltered spot. They got just the right amount of sunlight and water they needed to survive.”

“They’re beautiful.” Katara admired them and then cocked her head. “How are the Air Temples doing?”

“They are being restored. People are living in them.” Tenzin said. “Mainly air acolytes.”

“I’ve never been to any of them, what are they like?” Jinora directed her question at Katara.

“Well, when I saw them, they were ruins. But they’re architectural marvels.” Katara said. “I’d love to see them again. I bet Aang would love too as well.”

“Ohh, I can’t wait to meet him.” Jinora squealed.

“Just give him some space. He’s still recovering. I don’t want to overwhelm him.” Katara cautioned.

“S-sure.” Jinora nodded several times.

Katara chuckled and looked at the flowers again. They’re so orange…a colour I associate with Aang. I hope he wakes up soon. He’s missing out. She stilled, thinking about her Avatar made her think about the new Avatar. “Can I ask…what is Korra like?”

“She’s amazing. She’s so much fun.” Jinora grinned. “She always plays with us!”

“Can she airbend too?”

“No. But she can bend the other elements!”

Tenzin stepped in. “She’s almost finished her firebending training. My family and I plan to move south for a few months so I can teach her airbending.” He stiffened. “Unless…no, I shouldn’t say anything else.”

“Tenzin?” Katara asked, getting anxious. Even Jinora gave him a worried look.

There was a loud yell and an acolyte barged into the greenhouse. “The ferry is coming.” He announced. “It could be Chief Beifong!”

Katara’s heart rose. She rushed out, closely followed by Tenzin and Jinora.

The boat was just coming in as she arrived at the docks. She immediately spotted Toph. She was standing next to a woman dressed in metal armour.

“Toph!” Katara yelled, crying tears of relief and joy.

“Katara!” Toph leapt over the side of the boat and ran to her.

They hugged each other close. Stepping back after a few moments, Katara smiled when Toph punched her in the arm. The earthbender must’ve really missed her.

“Where is Twinkletoes?” Toph asked.

“He hasn’t woken up yet. But he will. Soon.” Katara assured her.

“I don’t think he’ll wake up anytime soon. He’s one of the laziest people I’ve ever met.” Toph grumbled. “By the way, your clothing felt weird. Why are you wearing pajamas?”

“They’re Airbender robes. My Water Tribe clothing is being cleaned.” Katara said.

“Ohh, right.” Toph wrinkled her nose. “I hope no one expects me to get changed. I’m staying in Earth Kingdom green. I’ve already had to fend off one nagging adult.”

“Hello Katara.” A stern voice said.

Katara looked up. It was the woman dressed in metal armour. She had two noticeable scars on her right cheek.

“Hello. You must be Lin Beifong.” Katara smiled at her.

“Hello Katara. I- “Lin grimaced as Toph suddenly elbowed her sharply in the ribs. “Hey Katara, this is my kid.” Toph laughed. “She’s a terrible metalbender.”

“I’m a great metalbender!” Lin snapped.

“I defeated you easily.” Toph snorted. “ Too easily. You need more training.”

Lin glared angrily at her, then sighed. “We shouldn’t be fighting. We need to focus on more important things. I need to speak to Tenzin. Urgently.”

“Lin, how are you?” Tenzin said, rushing forward. Jinora lingered behind him, looking uncertain.

“Tenzin, we need to come up with a plan. Something that’ll explain their sudden appearance.” Lin said. “People are asking questions. The press is hounding me, and gossip is rampant at the station. I won’t be able to hold them back forever. We need to give them cover stories. Especially Aang.” Her gaze softened. “Is he any better?”

“No.”

“Dammit.” Lin cursed, rubbing her face. “Let’s go somewhere we can talk. Somewhere private.”

She and Tenzin started walking back to the temple. Katara stepped after them, but Toph grabbed her elbow and stopped her.

“One moment.” Toph said. “Who’s the kid?”

Jinora froze and blushed.

“That’s Jinora. She’s Tenzin’s oldest daughter.” Katara said. “Meaning she’s also Aang’s- their Aang’s granddaughter.”

“H-hi n-nice to meet you Toph.” Jinora stumbled over her words.

“Oh, you’re a fan.” Toph grinned. “I haven’t met one of those since Gaoling, back when I was the Blind bandit.” She waved at the Airbender. “Nice to meet you, Jinora. We can hang out whenever!”

Jinora nodded. “N-nice to meet you too. I’ll umm…go and do something else.” She scuttled away.

Katara frowned. Something was off. “Toph…what are you doing?”

“I’m not doing anything. Jinora’s a nice girl.” Toph said, feigning innocence.

“…Don’t take advantage of her.”

“I won’t.”

“Katara? Toph?” Tenzin called out.

“Coming!” Katara shouted. They both ran to catch up.

Toph smirked at every acolyte they passed, revelling in their awed gasps and hushed whispers. Katara restrained herself and didn’t lecture her. She knew Toph was just acting out because of their situation. It was all right for now, as long as her friend didn’t do anything rash.

Tenzin led them to a sitting room in the middle of the temple. There were two couches. Lin and Tenzin sat on one, and her and Toph on the other.

“Any idea for our cover stories?” Katara asked Lin.

“Well…Toph can be my niece.” Lin said uncomfortably. “I haven’t been able to think of any other way to explain her presence in the city, a preteen girl that knows metalbending andwas able to defeat several of my most capable officers.”

Toph did a double take. “You have a sister? Is she as much a stick in the mud as you are?”

Lin huffed and looked away.

“Oh, she isn’t. Goodie.” Toph chuckled and cracked her knuckles.

“We haven’t spoken in a while.” Lin admitted.

“That’s sad.” Katara said.

“You don’t know anything about our situation.” Lin growled.

“…” Katara bit her lip.

Lin grimaced. “Katara…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”

“It’s okay. I understand.” Katara nodded at her.

“Thank you.” Lin said, almost smiling.

“Lin, are you sure about this?” Tenzin said uneasily.

Lin’s expression soured. “Yes.”

“You’ll need to contact Suyin and explain everything. She’ll want to meet Toph.”

“She won’t. She won’t even need to come here.”

“Before we make any sudden decisions, shouldn’t we wait for Aang to wake up?” Katara chimed in.

“We don’t have that time for that. He could be in a days-long coma. Just like after he was hit by lightning by Azula.” Lin said.

“Good point.” Katara paled, remembering how Aang had almost died after they had escaped Ba Sing Se.

“I guess we can wait a few days, but no more- “

“Hey, can we just return to your sister for one moment.” Toph butted in. “Personally, I’d love to meet her.”

“No- “

“But I want to.” Toph whined childishly, but her giddy smirk betrayed her humorous intentions. She was messing with the police chief.

“You’re not going to meet her.” Lin declared. “And if you’re going to pretend to be my niece, you’ll need to change your name. No one is going to believe that my sister named a child after her mother.”

“I’m not changing my name!” Toph threw her hands into the air.

“Maybe we should give Toph’s cover story a rest for a moment.” Katara suggested diplomatically. “What about me? What about my cover story?”

“Hmm. I think you can just be a nobody.” Tenzin said, looking thoughtful.

“What do you mean?”

“You can be a guest my mother sent. Her latest pupil. A gifted waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe who wanted to see Republic City and needed a place to stay.”

“Sounds good.” Katara nodded. “I think I’ll need to change my name as well.” It wasn’t common for people in the Southern Water Tribe to have the same name.

“No. It’ll be fine. We can just say you were named in my mother’s honour.” Tenzin said. “People will believe it. Trust me.”

“What about Aang?”

“Ah. It’ll be harder…to explain him.” Tenzin admitted. “Pema and I briefly discussed it, but I don’t think she understands how hard it’ll be…” He pinched his nose. “There’s only one scenario that’ll work. That’ll convince people he’s not somehow the re-reincarnation of the previous Avatar.”

Katara frowned. He can’t possibly mean…

Lin’s eyes went wide, while Toph punched the sofa and cackled. “I can’t believe that you’re going to claim twinkletoes is your secret love child!”

“Shh.” Tenzin went very red. “We don’t need to decide anything about Aang until he wakes up. We can keep him hidden for now.”

“Agreed. And it’ll be suspicious if we all turn up at once.” Katara said, steeling herself. He’s going to wake up soon. Very soon. I can sense it.

“I’m going to go check on him.” Tenzin announced, rising from the sofa.

Katara also got up, but he stopped her with a hand.

“Stay here.” He said, eyeing Lin and Toph, who were glaring at each other again.

Katara nodded and sat back down. She needed to keep the peace.

“I’ll just spend a few minutes with him and then I’ll be right back. Lin can go back to work and do damage control, Jinora can give Toph a tour around the temple, and Katara can return to Aang. Sound good?”

Everyone agreed with him. He nodded at them and then quickly left the room.

“You can leave Lhamo.” Tenzin said.

Lhamo bowed and walked out.

Tenzin sat in the chair she had vacated and stared at his sleeping father- no, the sleeping boy.

This Aang was only 13 years old. Their Aang had been sixty-six when he had died.

Will this Aang live as long? What will he think of our plan? What will he think of me? Tenzin gritted his teeth. He was getting a headache. Rubbing his temples, he did his best to calm down. I’m too stressed. I shouldn’t be here. I should go and get Katara. She can help him. I can’t. I’m useless. He sighed, dropping his arms. But he’s just a child...and he needs my help. I can’t abandon him. I won’t abandon him.

“Even if takes years, I’ll get him back home.” He vowed to himself out loud. “And in the meantime, I’ll look after him as if he were my own. Make sure that he has everything he needs and that he’s not alone.” He smiled. “After all, he’s not the last Airbender anymore, not here.”

He got up. His headache was gone.

I should rejoin Katara. Help her deal with Lin and Toph.He nodded and turned away, heading for the door.

As soon as he put his hand on the knob, he suddenly heard the rustle of bedsheets behind him and a deep yawn.

“Who are you?” a groggy voice said.

Chapter Text

He was floating in a white void. There was nothing around him.

It’s so peaceful here. I never want to leave.Aang thought, nuzzling against the light.

“Goodbye Aang” A sad voice said. It was gentle and unwavering and achingly familiar, but he couldn’t place it.

The light withdrew, leaving him in darkness.

“No! Don’t go!” He screamed.

It didn’t come back.

A profound sense of lossovercame him. Not just because he had lost the light. No, he had lost something far more important.

He had to wake up. Find Katara. Find someone.

Hours passed as he tried and tried and tried in vain to force himself awake.

Eventually, light filled his vision. A different one than before. Morning light.

He blinked up at a ceiling. Forcing himself to sit up, he found himself staring at the back of a robed figure.

They were Airbender robes. The man also had blue tattoos. He was a master Airbender.

“Who are you?” He slurred.

The Airbender whipped around, staring at him with wide eyes, before rushing to his side and easing him back against the pillows. “You need to rest. Hold on, I’ll get- “

“Am…am I dead?” Aang asked, horrified. If he was dead, it meant he had failed. Failed what?He thought.

“No. You’re not dead.” The Airbender said quickly, stepping away. “Everything’s going to be fine. Let me get Katara. Wait here.”

“N-no. Don’t leave me” Aang reached out feebly after him.

“I’ll be right back. I won’t even leave the room. I promise.” The Airbender said soothingly. True to his word, he stuck his head outside the door, yelled something, and then immediately returned. “Katara is coming. She’ll explain everything.”

“Okay.” Aang muttered. He took a deep breath. Then another. And another. Until he was hyperventilating.

“Aang, remember your breathing.” The Airbender instructed. “In and out.”

Right. The basics of Airbending. One of the very first things you learned.

Count to four, inhale. Count to four, exhale.

It didn’t take him long to calm down. He sank into the pillows with a groan and frowned at the Airbender. “Who are you?” He repeated, now slightly suspicious.

The Airbender smiled warmly at him. “My name is Tenzin.”

Aang’s frown deepened. The name was familiar to him. “That’s…I had a friend named Tenzin. Way back. He…died. Just like everyone else.”

“It’s a traditional Airbender name.” Tenzin said. “There have been many Tenzins.”

“Which one are you?”

“It’s…complicated.”

“Tell me” Aang insisted.

“Katara will tell you.” Tenzin said. “She needs to give you a proper look over anyway.”

“Are you…are you a real Airbender?” Aang asked. He can’t be. This must be some sort of trick.

Tenzin nodded and brought his hands together, before summoning a ball of wind in-between them and skilfully controlling it.

“Woah.” Aang’s eyes went wide. “But...how?

“It’s a long story.” Tenzin said, dismissing the air.

Aang glanced around the room. “How did I get here?”

“I have no idea.” Tenzin answered. “No one knows. Not even Katara.”

“The last thing I remember was the light leaving.” Aang said.

“The light?” Tenzin frowned. “What light?”

“There was a light. When I was asleep.” Aang sighed. He sounded crazy. “It wasn’t the only thing- “He froze.It was finally catching up to him. The absence of something. A key part of himself. It had always been there with him. And now that it was gone…

“Aang? What’s wrong?” Tenzin gave him a worried look.

“I…I don’t know.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I need to test something.” He punched up, rattling the ceiling with a burst of air. Okay. That’s working.

“Aang! You shouldn’t be bending- “

“I need to!” Aang held out his hand and tried to summon fire. Just a small flicker. A spark.

Nothing appeared.

“N-no.” He looked around the room for another element. There was no water, but there were several earthenware bowls on a table on the other side of the room. He tried levitating one of them, ready to feel the familiar sensation of liftingearth into the air.

Nothing happened.

“I can’t bend the other elements anymore! I’m no longer the Avatar!” He said, his voice trembling with shock.

“W-what?” Tenzin said. “Maybe it’s just a block- “

“No. It’s gone.” He could feel his eyes brimming with tears. “It’s all gone.”

Tenzin didn’t hesitate for one second. He gathered Aang up into his arms and hugged him close. “It’s okay.” He soothed. “It’s okay to cry.”

Despite Tenzin being a stranger, Aang felt oddly comfortable in his embrace. He sniffed, letting the tears flow, and buried his face into the older Airbender’s chest.

Suddenly, Katara rushed in. “Aang!” She yelled.

“H-hey Katara.” Aang gently pushed Tenzin away and gave his best friend a strained smile.

Katara sat next to him and pulled him into another hug. “Are you okay?”

Aang shook his head. He couldn’t lie to her.

“What’s wrong?” She said, leaning back and giving him a concerned look.

“…I’m no longer the Avatar.”

“What?”

“My connection to the other elements has been severed.” He took a shuddering breath to stop himself from crying again. “I... I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay.” Katara nodded. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Umm.” Aang bit his lip and stared at her. “Why are you wearing Airbender robes?”

“Tenzin gave them to me.” Katara chuckled at his confusion. “They’re only temporary.”

“I like them. You look good.” He said, blushing. “ Really good.”

“Th-thanks.” Katara said, struggling not to blush herself.

Tenzin coughed, standing up. “I’ll let you heal him in private.”

“No, please stay.” Aang pleaded with him. “I have questions.”

“Erm, okay.” Tenzin sat down again.

“Aang, lie back.” Katara instructed, getting out her water pouch.

Aang nodded and made himself comfortable, finally relaxing as the calming blue glow of her healing surrounded him.

“You only have a few cuts and bruises.” Katara said. “And a few light burns.”

Aang hummed, letting the words wash over him.

The blue glow subsided. Katara withdrew.

Aang sat up and smiled. He was feeling much better. “So, where are we?”

“We’re in a city.” Katara said.

Aang frowned. She was holding something back. “Ba Sing Se?”

“No.”

“Omashu?”

“Aang- “

“The fire nation capital?”

“You’re in Republic City.” Tenzin said.

“Republic City?” Aang frowned. “I’ve never heard of it. Where is it?”

“It’s on the western coast of the Earth Kingdom.” Tenzin said. “It was originally called Cranefish Town.”

Aang shook his head. “Never heard of that place either.”

“Well, let me explain…I’m, umm…” Tenzin coughed nervously.

“Tenzin, tell him where we are first.” Katara said gently.

“R-right.” Tenzin nodded. “You’re in the future Aang.”

“How far in the future?” Aang recoiled, feeling his heart race. He remembered the iceberg. He’d missed a hundred years of war. Even worse, this time Katara was with him. He’d dragged her into this mess. It was all his fault.

“Woah, woah.” Katara took his hand and squeezed it. “It’s not like the iceberg Aang. It’s different.”

“Different? Have we missed hundreds of years?”

“No. Nothing like that.” Tenzin said, shaking his head. “You’ve sort of…travelled to another world, not just the future, if that makes sense.”

“It doesn’t.” Aang said bluntly.

“Oh.” Tenzin took a deep breath. “Well, umm…there was another Aang here…and he was my father.”

“You’re my son?” Aang stared at Tenzin, eyes bulging.

“N-no. The son of the other Aang.”

“Tenzin, maybe I should explain?” Katara’s soft voice cut through the tension.

They both nodded at her.

“Aang, I’m going to tell you about our situation. One thing at a time.” Katara said. “If you need a break, we’ll give you as much as time as you need.”

“Okay.” Aang agreed.

“We’re about seventy years in the future.” Katara said gently. “The other nations defeated the Fire Nation and won the war. Republic City isn’t part of any nation. It’s independent.”

“So, it’s like a fifth nation?” Aang said.

“Not quite. It’s more a mix of the other nations.” Katara smiled at him. “Living in balance.”

Aang nodded, understanding. “And all of this is possible…because of the other versions of us.”

“Yes.”

“They succeeded. They defeated Ozai.” Aang started to tremble.

“Aang?” Katara said, voice full of worry.

“We didn’t defeat Ozai. I can remember that much.” He confessed quietly.

Katara and Tenzin both stared at him, mouths agape.

“I can barely remember the battle. He was chasing me. There was fire everywhere” He hiccupped, fresh tears falling from his eyes. “I don’t know how we got here. We-no, I failed.”

“Aang, you didn’t fail.” Tenzin insisted. “Something happened. Something beyond all our comprehension.”

Aang shook his head.

“We’re going to get you back home. All of you.” Tenzin said. “So don’t lose hope.”

I can still fix this. Stop Ozai and end the war.It was a feeble hope, but it was better than nothing. He took a deep breath and wiped his eyes with his hands. “Who else is here? You said “all” of us.”

“Toph is here. She arrived this morning.” Katara said. “With the police chief- Lin Beifong. She’s all right.”

“She’s the daughter of the Toph of this world.” Aang murmured. It was hard to separate the two Tophs in his mind. He decided to call the other Toph, “Older Toph”, to make it easier. “What about the others?” He asked.

“No one else has turned up.”

“I hope they don’t.” Aang said. “Who…who is the Avatar?”

“A girl named Korra. From the Southern Water Tribe. She’s seventeen.” Tenzin said.

Aang almost flinched. He hadn’t been ready for that. “…Tell me the rest.”

Tenzin and Katara explained everything to him; the current status of the four nations, to the technological progress that had happened in 70 years, to Tenzin’s family.

“You have three kids, and they’re all Airbenders?” Aang’s jaw fell. He couldn’t believe it.

“Almost four.” Tenzin said proudly.

“When can I meet them?” Aang asked giddily.

“Not yet.” Tenzin laughed.

“Surely he can meet Jinora?” Katara suggested.

“Hmm.” Tenzin furrowed his brow. “I think it’d be best to wait. Jinora is...well you saw how excited she was when she met you. It took her hours to calm down.”

“Good point.” Katara said.

“Aww.” Aang pouted and crossed his arms, causing Tenzin to smile oddly and Katara to stifle a laugh. “What?”

“It’s nothing.” Tenzin said. “Do you want to see Toph?”

“Yes. But- “

“I’ll go get her!” Tenzin abruptly left the room.

As soon as he was gone, Katara burst into laughter.

“What?” Aang repeated.

“You look just like Ikki.” Katara said.

Aang huffed and looked up at the ceiling. “This is all so messed up.”

“At least we’re together.” Katara comforted him.

“Katara…”

She took one of his hands in her own, rubbing his palm gently. “When Toph gets here, we’ll discuss what to do. But not for too long. You need to rest.”

Aang nodded, feeling his face heat up. “Can we…?” He stared at her lips.

“Not yet, Aang.” She shook her head, but she was blushing like crazy too.

The door burst open and Toph sauntered in. Katara quickly dropped his hand and tried to pull herself together.

“H-hello Toph!” Aang squeaked, still red.

“Twinkletoes!” She gave them both a knowing look, then shrugged and sat down next to Katara.

“It’s so good to see you.” Aang beamed, excitement overcoming embarrassment. “Where’s Tenzin?”

“Giving us some space.” Toph said. “He’s weird.”

“He’s just freaking out. Same as we are.” Katara argued. She was back to normal.

“True. Seeing child versions of my parents would freak me out.” Toph said.

“Wait, his parents?” Aang blinked. “Katara, we got married here?”

“Yes, we did Aang.” Katara said tiredly.

Aang quickly dropped the subject. He didn’t want to pressure her further. “What are we going to do now?” He asked instead.

“I don’t know.” Katara admitted.

“Look at you two!” Toph admonished them suddenly.

“What?” Aang said.

“Don’t you guys see what this is?” Toph said, annoyed. “A long overdue opportunity to have some serious fun.”

“I don’t see what’s fun about this.” Aang muttered.

“You haven’t seen the city or met your grandkids yet.” Toph grinned.

“They aren’t my grandkids- “

“You know what I meant Twinkletoes.” Toph said. “But the city…the city is amazing. The buildings are huuuge and they’re made of glass and steel. Ba Sing Se is bigger…but Republic City is…” She whistled in awe.

That got his attention. “Woah.”

“And Jinora showed me the sky bison. There are so many of them.” Toph continued.

“Toph!” Katara warned, a tremor in her voice.

“Sky bison? Is Appa here? Or Momo?” Aang gave her a hopeful look.

Toph shook her head, grimacing as she realised her mistake.

“Oh.” Aang slumped back.

“I’m sure they’re fine, wherever they are.” Toph said quickly. “Appa is tough.And so is Momo. They’ve survived so much.”

“Yeah…”

“They might be with Sokka and Zuko, or even Suki, wherever they are.”

“We don’t know if they followed us.” Katara pointed out.

Toph shook her head. “I think they did. I’ve been thinking…the last thing I can really remember was being on an airship with Sokka and Suki, and you were flying with Zuko on Appa, right Katara?”

Katara nodded.

“So, they must be out there somewhere.” Toph declared. “And we’ll find them, or they’ll find us. It’s only a matter of time.”

Aang took solace in her words. “Then we’ll have to stay here and wait for them.”

“Then we can work on getting home.” Katara said.

“Home…” Aang wasn’t sure what his home was now. There’d been the temple, and then travelling with his friends….We’re all scattered across this strange new world. I miss them all so much. I…I need to…He sighed. “I think I’d like to rest now.”

“Sure. We’ll give you some space.” Katara said.

She and Toph left the room.

Aang turned on his side and shut his eyes.

His last thoughts were of absent friends; Sokka, Zuko, Suki, Momo, and Appa.

Wherever you guys are…I hope you’re okay.

Chapter Text

Zuko woke up and immediately started coughing and retching.

There was sand in his mouth. In his hair. Everywhere.

He got up onto his haunches and coughed until there was nothing left, then rubbed his mouth and stood up.

He was on a beach. There was a forest in the distance. The weather was clear and crisp. The sand was a perfect white, the ocean a perfect blue. However, the beauty of it all was marred by the flaming debris, pieces of metal and canvas, that dotted the shore.

There were also bodies. Burned and blackened beyond all recognition.

Zuko swallowed. His mind was blank. He couldn’t remember how he’d gotten there, or how long he’d been there.

Wait. I remember one thing. There was a massive flash of light. I was with-

A loud groan came from further down the beach. Zuko ran towards it.

He found Sokka lying behind a large piece of jagged metal, curled in on himself.

The Water Tribe boy noticed his approach and feebly raised his head. “Zuko!” He slurred, pointing at his lower half. “Help!”

Zuko winced. One of Sokka’s legs was twisted at an ugly angle. “Brace yourself.” He leaned down and hoisted Sokka up over his shoulders, making him seethe in pain as his injured leg briefly dragged against the sand, before carrying him up the beach and into the forest.

He kept going until they found a large tree and then dropped him in the shade.

“Thanks.” Sokka said, huffing and leaning against the trunk. “Where are we?”

“Somewhere in the Fire Nation.” Zuko replied. “One of the smaller islands.”

“Great.” Sokka muttered. “Maybe some of Ozai’s soldiers survived the crash and will try and “light” our day up.”

Zuko recalled the bodies on the beach and shuddered. “I don’t think so. I think they’re all dead.”

“Are you sure of that?” Sokka sounded sceptical.

Zuko nodded. “We need to try and find the others. Explore the island for some sign of civilization.”

“I hope we find Suki.” Sokka said wistfully. “I hope she’s okay.”

“We’ll look for her first.” Zuko said. “Now, brace yourself, I need to carry you again.”

“Zuko, you can’t carry me all the way around the island.” Sokka glared at him. “Besides, I’m sure I can hobble around. If you just find me a large enough stick- “

“Sokka, that’s not going to work. I’m strong enough. I can carry you a fair distance.” Zuko said, returning the glare. He really can be too childish sometimes.

“Fine.” Sokka crossed his arms and pouted.

“We’ll look for a vantage point. Like a hill. Somewhere where we can see the rest of the island.” Zuko scanned the trees but couldn’t see anything.

“Let’s get going.” Sokka said minutely.

Zuko nodded, picked him up again, and started walking.

The island was a wilderness. A flat wilderness. There were no hills or ridges or anything. Just more trees.

They did spot some animals, primarily Squirrel Toads and Koala Sheep, but no people, or any signs of civilization.

Zuko did take breaks every now and then, putting Sokka down so he could recover his strength. But not for too long.

Less than an hour after setting out, they arrived at the other end of the island. Walking out of the forest, they emerged next to a little jetty and a cottage.

Zuko’s heart rose, and he grinned triumphantly. Hopefully they can help us. He thought.

Sokka was less enthused. “That’s it?” He complained.

“Sokka, we can ask them for help.” Zuko grunted. His arms were beginning to hurt. He wouldn’t be able to carry him for much longer.

“Zuko, they’re Fire Nation.”

“I know. But we’re stranded. We need their help.”

“I’m not sure if you’re aware, but a war is going on. And I’m Water Tribe. I’m the enemy.” Sokka said sarcastically.

“We don’t have any other choice.” Zuko countered.

“We do.” Sokka snorted. “Build a raft and sail to the Earth Kingdom.”

“Brave the vast ocean with no supplies or any means of navigation?” Zuko deadpanned. “Really?”

“Hey, when you put it like that it sounds stupid.” Sokka shook his head. “I’d rather take my chances with the raft than some stranger.”

Zuko rolled his eyes and started walking towards the cottage.

“Zuko, what are you doing? ZUKO!” Sokka started flailing around, only to hiss in pain and stop.

Zuko stepped up to the cottage and knocked on the door.

“Zuko, we don’t have to do this.” Sokka pleaded with him. “We can still hide.”

The door was answered by an old woman. She wore red robes, an apron, and fluffy slippers. Her hair was in an untidy bun. “Zuzu!?” She said, her eyes going wide.

Zuko recognised the voice immediately, almost dropping Sokka out of shock. “Azula???”

Sokka was silent, staring at the woman with almost as wide eyes.

“But you- you’re so young- I shouldn’t be seeing you.” Azula muttered.

“I…I…” Zuko didn’t know what to say.

The older Azula narrowed her eyes at them and slammed the door shut.

After a few moments of stunned silence, Zuko took a deep breath and knocked on the door again. “Hey! We’re not a hallucination! We need your help!”

He stood back. The door didn’t open.

“What the fuck.” Sokka finally spoke. “Why does Azula look older than Gran-Gran?”

“I don’t know!” Zuko huffed. “But maybe she can help us.”

“The last time I met an old lady in the middle of nowhere, she turned out to be a bloodbender.” Sokka said. “Can we please leave?”

“Wait.” Zuko knocked on the door again. “Azula, please open up. We need help. Sokka’s injured. I don’t know what’s going on, but- “

The door opened. Azula scowled at him. “You’re not real.” She swallowed nervously. “You-you can’t be.”

“Hey Azula.” Sokka cut in. “We’re real. I can prove it to you.” After some struggling, he took off one of his shoes and threw it at the door next to her. It struck the wood and bounced off.

“Sokka…” Zuko shook his head.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Azula stared at the fallen shoe and then crouched down to pick it up. As soon she touched it, she recoiled it as if it had burned her. Then she picked it up. “It’s- you’re real?”

“Yes.” Zuko insisted, his arms throbbing.

“You’d better come in then.” Azula nodded at them and turned on her heel.

“Wait, give me my shoe back!” Sokka demanded indignantly.

“I forgot how annoying you were.” Azula glared at him, but duly handed back his shoe, before going into her cottage.

“Umm, Zuko, can you help me put it back on?” Sokka requested, turning red.

“Once we’re inside.” Zuko said, following his sister.

Sokka whined but didn’t argue further.

Zuko blinked. The cottage was tiny.

The first floor consisted of a kitchen and sitting area, while a flight of stairs led to two closed doors on the second floor. He suspected it was the bedroom and bathroom.

The furniture was all made of metal. It didn’t look like normal Fire Nation furniture. It was far less extravagant. More suited for a simple peasant than a member of the Royal Family.

“Put him on the sofa. Don’t worry about his shoes.” Azula yelled from the kitchen.

“Okay.” Zuko called back. He gently deposited Sokka on the Sofa and put his shoe back on.

“Woah.” Sokka sighed and leaned into the cushions. “It’s sooo comfortable!”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Zuko said, remaining standing. Aside from the sofa, there was only one other seat-an armchair. Azula was old. She needed it more than he did.

Azula came in from the kitchen and frowned at him. “You can sit down, you know.”

“I don’t mind standing.” He assured her.

“Neither do I.” Azula huffed. “In fact, you’re my guest. So-”

“Azula- “

“Zuzu- Zuko, I’m not fragile.” Azula said. “Sit down.”

Zuko sat down.

“I have no idea what the two of you are doing here, but it’s been about seventy years since the war ended. You- “She pointed at Zuko with a trembling finger. “-became the Fire Lord.”

Zuko recoiled. “I- What about Uncle- “

“He didn’t want the throne.” Azula said. “He retired to Ba Sing Se and reopened his tea shop. He wanted to serve tea and play his Tsungi Horn all day.” She shrugged. “Personally, now that I’m oldmyself, I don’t blame him.”

“Are you really Azula?” Sokka questioned.

Azula rolled her eyes. “We first met in Omashu. Mai’s stupid little brother had wandered away and you guys found him. We arrange a trade for the King of Omashu. But when we met up, I changed my mind. I commented that it wasn’t fair to trade a two-year-old child for a powerful earthbender. I chased the Avatar, and my two friends fought you and your sister.” She chuckled. “Is that enough detail for you or do I need to talk about all the times my friends and I kicked your butts.”

“No, no. I get it. You’re Azula.” Sokka said, mortified.

“But I-I wasn't ready to become the Fire Lord. So, why did I, so quickly after the war?” Zuko asked.

“You- or rather, our Zuko, was ready.” Azula said.

“ Your Zuko?”

“It’s quite clear you’re not the same person.” Azula smirked. “Our Zuko is an old man. He’s also retired. His daughter became Fire Lord a few years ago.”

“Daughter?” Zuko’s jaw dropped.

“Yes. You- he had a kid. It’s not that surprising. He was a ruler, and he needed an heir.” Azula snarked.

“What about me?” Sokka said, then frowned. “Wait, don’t answer that. I don’t wanna know. At least, not yet.”

“I wouldn’t tell you anyway.” Azula chuckled. “You led a very boring life.”

“No need to be so rude.” Sokka muttered.

“Sokka, I’m letting you stay in my house out of the kindness of my heart.” Azula gave him a pointed look. “Don’t make my change my mind.”

Sokka gulped. Even as an old lady, Azula was still threatening.

“What else happened?” Zuko pressed ahead, trying to defuse the situation.

Azula sighed. “You guys won, and you changed the world for the better. That’s it.”

“ How did we change the world?”

“I’m too tired to explain all of it right now.” Azula snapped. “Tomorrow is my weekly checkup. My nurse will be able to help you.”

“Please, tell us.” Zuko said.

Azula gritted her teeth.

“Zuko, she’s an old lady. She’s probably very tired.” Sokka quipped.

“I’m not tired!” Azula glared at him. “But fine. I’ll answer some of your questions. But after I-”

“Is this place a prison?” Sokka asked bluntly.

“No.” Azula said sharply. “I’m here of my own volition. I was sick and tired of being in the city. I wanted some peace and quiet in the last few years of my life.” She took a deep breath. “Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I’ll answer your questions after I get my first aid kit and treat your leg. Okay?”

Zuko nodded. Sokka just shrugged.

Azula went upstairs and disappeared into one of the doors.

“I hope the others are okay.” Sokka said, once she was out of earshot.

“Our friends are very capable. If we survived, they survived.” Zuko said. “Plus, Aang is the Avatar. He could’ve just gone into the Avatar state and saved them all.”

“Hmm. Fair point.” Sokka cocked his head. “Zuko…the bodies on the beach…who were they?”

“I think they’re Fire Nation soldiers.” Zuko murmured. “From Ozai’s airships.”

“They were so scorched…”

“I think the airships blew up. It’s the only thing that would explain their deaths.” Zuko said. “We need to explain this all to Azula.”

“Do we have to?” Sokka complained.

“She’s trying to help us.” Zuko argued. “But yes, I’m not comfortable with it either.” He paled, remembering the look of madness on her face after Katara had chained her to the grate.

“Zuko?”

“I’ll tell you later.” Zuko nodded at the stairs. Old Azula was back, and she was carrying a small box.

“I haven’t used this in ages.” She admitted. “But I should still be able to make a rudimentary splint.”

She treated Sokka’s leg, then stood back. “You’re lucky. It’s only badly sprained. Not broken.” She said, yawning.

Zuko got up. “Please sit down.”

Azula nodded and sat down, surprising him as he’d expected her to put up more of a fight.

“So, any questions?” She asked.

“What happened to me?” Sokka piped up. “I’m ready to know now.”

“You died.” Azula revealed.

“W-what?” Sokka stuttered. “Th-that’s…”

“Are you messing with us?” Zuko said, unamused.

“Lots of your friends are dead.” Azula said. “You’ll need to accept that.”

“My sister…?” Sokka asked desperately.

“She’s alive.”

Sokka relaxed sightly. “Tell me what I did…before I died.”

“You went into government.” Azula said. “You were a councilman in Republic City for several decades.”

“Republic City?” Sokka frowned. “What’s a republic?”

“Oh boy.” Azula groaned. “Well, listen closely, I’m not going to repeat any of this.”

She told them about Republic City, the council, the current state of the Earth Kingdom, and about Avatar Aang and his family.

“Aang married my sister? Well…I’m happy she married him rather than some firebender.” Sokka nodded in approval.

“What about the Fire Nation? Does the other me…have any grandchildren?” Zuko asked reluctantly.

“I’m not going to talk about that now. It’s getting late.” Azula grumbled. She got up, her knees creaking. “I still need to make dinner and get some sort of bed ready for you. I think I have an old sleeping bag somewhere. Don’t ask why.”

“…okay.” Zuko said. “I don’t mind sleeping on the floor.”

Azula nodded and went into the kitchen.

“Zuko.” Sokka said, struggling to rise.

“Let me help you.” Zuko approached him.

“Thanks.” Sokka smiled.

Zuko settled him against the cushions and then grabbed another cushion to put under his injured leg.

“You don’t need to that.” Sokka waved him off. “I can do that. I’m not completely helpless.”

“Yes, you are.” Zuko joked.

“I’m not!” Sokka looked affronted.

“At the moment you are.” Zuko laughed.

Sokka glared at him.

They heard a snort from the kitchen, Azula was watching the two of them with an odd smile.

“What?” Sokka snapped.

“Nothing.” Azula smiled. “It’s just...” Her expression became sad. “…I haven’t seen my brother in months. I miss him.”

“Do you need help with dinner?” Zuko offered, in an attempt to make the situation less awkward.

“No.” Azula shook her head and turned away.

He and Sokka shared a look. They had to tell her about the airships but didn’t know how. Because if they did, they would have to tell her the rest. About Ozai, the battle, and the crash.

And her mad breakdown.Zuko thought darkly.

Azula brought two plates over. She had cooked a ramshackle meal of fish, noodles, and assorted vegetables.

“It was the only thing I could make at such short notice.” She said.

“It’s fine.” Zuko smiled. “Thank you.”

Azula grunted and got her own plate, then sat down in the armchair.

Sokka scooted back, so Zuko could sit on the edge of the sofa.

“Azula…” Zuko started.

“Yes?” Azula said, raising an eyebrow.

“We…” HE took a shaky breath. “It’s nothing.” He wasn’t ready. He couldn’t tell her. Not yet. I’ll tell her tomorrow.

“Okay.” Azula shrugged and went back to her food.

Sokka gave him a worried look.

The rest of the meal passed in silence.

Afterwards, Azula got out the sleeping bag for him and a spare blanket for Sokka, and then went to bed.

Sokka drifted off with an hour, while Zuko just lay there, twisting and turning in his teeny tiny sleeping bag. Half of his body was on the floor. It was very uncomfortable.

But that wasn’t the problem. No, the problem was the storm in his head. He was trying to process everything that had happened that day, everything he had learned.

I became the Fire Lord. I had a daughter. Probably grandkids too. This life…it’s not mine. My life is mine. Whatever I decide to do with it. He thought, shaking his head.

Eventually, his eyes did start to droop, and he curled around his pillow.

Then, he stiffened, dread and fear swirling around his stomach. The room was getting hotter. The heat was coming from outside the house.

Firebending.

He crawled to the sofa and grabbed Sokka, who jolted awake and tried to shove him off, and dragged him to the floor just in time.

The front door was blasted off its hinges by a massive ball of fire.

Chapter Text

Katara’s second day in Republic City began much the same way as the first.

She woke up curled next to Aang, an acolyte came in to watch him while she snuck away, had a quick bath, and put on her now clean Water Tribe clothing. Then she returned and ate breakfast with him.

The morning passed by quietly. They would either chat or read together, or, if Aang was sleeping, she’d practice her bending with a bowl of water. An acolyte brought them lunch and then she started reading a book to Aang until he cleared his throat and told her to stop.

“Yes, Aang?” She asked.

“Where’s Tenzin?”

“He had to go back to work.”

“Ah, the City Council.”

“Yes.”

Aang’s face fell.

“Hey, he’ll be back at the end of the day.” She said cheerfully. “You can see him then.”

“I want to talk to him.” Aang said. “About airbending, his family, a lot of things.”

“You…never knew your parents.” Katara stated.

Aang nodded. “I was taken away from them. Which was unusual.”

“Unusual?” Katara raised an eyebrow. “I thought airbenders were raised by the whole community, not their parents.”

“They are.” Aang confirmed. “But most airbenders are aware of who their blood relatives are and do spend time with them. Because I was the Avatar, I…I was completely separated from my parents after I was born. I never met them.”

“Oh, Aang.” Katara stared at him sorrowfully.

“It’s okay Katara.” Aang gave her a lopsided smile. “I accepted it a long time ago. Even before I knew I was the Avatar, I thought my parents had either died or separated and that I was just unlucky not to have known them. Anyway, you- our friends are my new family.”

“Aang…” Katara blushed lightly.

Aang felt heat rising in his cheeks and coughed to collect himself before continuing. “But Tenzin…he’s the first blood relative I’ve ever met. Before we go home, I want to get to know him.”

“You can see him as soon as he gets back.” Katara said, smiling.

“I’d like that.” Aang took a deep breath. “Aside from that, Katara, I’m worried about Toph.” He chewed his cheek. “She…I think she’s getting bored. She might do something.”

“Should I bring her here?”

“No, no. I think you should go and check on her. It’d be good for you to get out of this room.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

So, very reluctantly, she left. It didn’t take her long to find the blind earthbender and confirm Aang’s suspicions.

Toph was acting like a Queen.

She was currently sitting in the eating area, surrounded by a whole group of acolytes and Tenzin’s children.

Katara frowned at her and leaned against the kitchen doorway.

“We spent months flying around on Appa, saving the world.” Toph said, lying back in her chair and resting her feet on the table. “We saw so much cool stuff- do I really need to talk about our travels? You guys probably know all the stories.”

“No, no, please continue.” One of the acolytes begged her.

“Hmm.” Toph cocked her head. “Well, I’ll continue if someone gets me something to drink.”

Immediately, half a dozen acolytes offered to get her a glass of water, milk, juice, tea, or even go into Republic City to get her something fancier.

Toph preened and then pointed at one acolyte and ordered him to get her some water.

The acolyte whooped, making the others scowl at him, and then rushed off.

“Can I ask…” Jinora piped up shyly. “What was your favourite part of traveling with Aang?”

Toph bit her lip, mulling the question over for a few seconds, then answered. “The freedom. We could go wherever we wanted, seeing the sights and helping people.” She smirked. “The only parts of the world I’ve never been to are the North and South Poles.”

“But you did visit them!” Jinora exclaimed. “A year after the war- “

“That was the other me.” Toph deadpanned.

“Oh, right.” Jinora said, looking embarrassed.

The acolyte returned with Toph’s water.

“Thank you!” Toph said flippantly, taking a tiny sip and then putting it aside. “Now, who wants to hear about my wrestling career? I won every single fight!”

The acolytes and children crowded around her, listening with rapt attention as she recounted her very first match.

I need to get Toph alone. Somewhere quiet. Katara thought, turning away, and entering the kitchen. Even if she appears to be confident…she’s acting out, monopolising people’s attention because it’s something she can control. I…I need to have a talk with her.

“Are you okay?” Pema said suddenly.

Katara blinked in surprise.

Pema was sitting at the kitchen table, nursing a cup of tea. There were dark circles under her eyes.

“I’m okay, but are you okay?” Katara gave her a concerned look.

Pema sighed. “It’s Meelo. He kept me up most of the night. He’d had a bad nightmare. I dealt with him alone. Tenzin needed the sleep.”

“You needed to sleep too.” Katara said.

“Oh, Tenzin’s done it for me in the past.” Pema smiled. “You should see him in a month or two. He’ll be like a mother hen around me.”

Katara smiled back at her. “That’s sweet.”

“He’s sweet.” Pema laughed. “Anyways, do you need anything? Can I lend you an ear?”

Katara nodded and sat down next to her. “This is all…a bit much.”

“A lot can change in seventy years.” Pema said gently. “Good changes and bad changes. It must be hard having to deal with all of this.”

“Y-yeah.” Katara murmured, taking a deep breath. Pema was an older woman, a mother. It felt weird confiding in her. Too weird. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’m fine.” She lied. “It’s actually Aang I’m worried about.”

“Katara…”

“At the moment, he’s holed up in his room, but I’m worried about how he’ll react when he leaves and sees all of this.” She said quickly. “He’ll be happy that there are more airbenders, but he’s freaking out about missing the end of the Hundred Years War.” She curled her hands into fists. “He thinks that he failed. Lost to Ozai. He wants to return to our time so he can defeat him and make amends.”

“We’ll get you home.” Pema promised, then laughed sheepishly. “Well, Tenzin will. He’ll figure out a way. Even if Aang is no longer the Avatar.”

Katara bit her lip nervously.

“He confided in me. No one else knows.” Pema assured her. “And if you do need the help of an Avatar, there’s always Korra.”

Katara grinned. “Pema! That’s it!”

“What?”

“Korra! She can help us. She’s the Avatar!”

“But she hasn’t even finished her training yet.”

“We’ll help her.” Katara nodded with determination. “Aang can teach her airbending.”

“Okay.” Pema said quietly. “It’s just that…Tenzin was going to be her teacher.”

“Oh.” Katara sighed, her heart sinking. Before Aang had arrived, Tenzin had been the only airbending master in the world. So, of course, he’d expected to teach Korra airbending on his own. “That’s…don’t worry. We won’t get in the way. He can be her teacher.”

“I didn’t mean that- “Pema stuttered. “It’s- “

Suddenly, loud music blared from outside, making Katara jump. “What’s that?” She muttered.

“It’s the radio. The acolytes must be showing it to Toph.” Pema chuckled. “C’mon, you’ll love this.”

They went outside.

Toph and the others were huddled around a small box.

Katara stared. The music was coming from the box.

Is it…powered by electricity? She thought, feeling awed. This technology is amazing.

Toph grinned and waved at her, bobbing her head along with the beat. “Katara! Get over here!”

Katara sat down next to her and listened closely. The music was pleasant. An upbeat medley of string instruments with drums.

“This is a “radio”! Aside from music programmes, there are also news programmes, leisure programmes, and other stuff!” Toph grinned excitedly. “Jinora told me about “serials”, stories that run in weekly or even daily instalments. A bunch of people get together and act out characters and plotlines. Like a theatre play!”

“Woah.” Katara gasped.

“Programmes run for most of the day. They stop at ten o’clock in the evening when most people are asleep.” An acolyte said.

“So, you could just sit by the radio all day and hear different stuff?” Toph asked.

“There are a lot of reruns.” The same acolyte said.

“Are there any other types of programmes?” Katara said.

“There are children’s programmes!” Ikki said, then pouted. “Not that dad lets us listen to them. He says they’re distracting and unnecessary.”

“That’s because we have more important things to do.” Jinora said. “Like studying.”

“You just prefer reading, because you’re a massive nerd!” Ikki bit back.

The two girls glared at each other.

“Do people read books out loud on the radio?” Toph asked suddenly, a gleam in her eyes.

“What?” Ikki frowned.

“I don’t think so.” Jinora said.

“Someone should.” Toph nodded. “They need to tap into the blind market.”

“If you want to read a book, you can learn braille.”

“What’s braille?”

“Well…” Jinora smiled and started explaining a complex system of writing, made up of little dots.

Ikki, Meelo, and Toph all made faces, but everyone else listed politely.

Jinora finished her little lecture and smirked proudly. “And if you want to learn braille, I’d be more than happy to help you!”

“If I ever want to be bored to death- “Toph started.

“People have written books about how great you are!”

Toph immediately changed her tune. “Well, maybe I will learn braille.” She said, grinning. “Now, what else do you do for fun around here?”

“Well, umm…” Jinora bit her lip. “We don’t go into the city all that much. Sometimes, dad takes us to parties at city hall and there’s tons of good food and dancing. But otherwise…”

“What’s that building?” Toph sat up and pointed at a golden dome in the distance.

“That’s the probending arena.”

“Probending?” Katara said. “Is that a sport?”

“It is.” Jinora scratched her head sheepishly. “I don’t really know that much about it. My dad finds it frivolous and boring.”

“Well, he’s the boring one.” Toph quipped.

Several of the acolytes snickered. Jinora went very red, not out of embarrassment, but because she was trying not to laugh too. Only Meelo, Ikki, and Pema laughed out loud.

“I know some of the rules of probending.” An acolyte, a man with glasses, said. “Before I came here, I saw a game. There are lots of rules, but I remember some of them.”

Everyone stared at him.

He paled. “What is it?”

“Well, are you going to explain to us what the rules are?” Toph said expectantly.

“Oh.” The acolyte stuttered. “Oh, right.” He started talking. Very fast.

“Slow down.” Toph ordered.

“Yeah, slow down.” Meelo repeated, far more viciously.

The acolyte nodded and took a deep breath. “In probending, there are two teams in every match. Each team has a waterbender, a firebender, and an earthbender. They face off on a raised platform, surrounded by water. Each team has one end of the platform. Each match has three rounds. A round is three minutes long. To win a round, a team must either gain the most territory by pushing their opponents back within the time limit, this means that both teams can go backwards or forwards, or, for a complete victory, they must push all their opponents into the water surrounding the arena.” He took another deep breath. “Now, there are some nuances with the rules. Like if a team has won two rounds, they have to do the third because…it’s the rules. Also, competitors can only be pushed out the back, not the sides. That’s all I can remember.” He finished lamely.

“Sounds fun.” Katara said. “A sport combining three elements.”

“I bet I would beat everyone.” Toph boasted, then frowned. “Unless…is the arena made of wood?”

“It’s made of metal.” The acolyte said.

Toph smirked. “Then, does anyone want to help me sneak over to the probending arena tonight?”

Everyone laughed. “Nice one Toph.” An acolyte, a slim woman, said.

Toph frowned. “No. I was serious. I want to…” She looked at everyone’s grinning faces, and then looked at Katara.

Katara shook her head.

“I was joking.” Toph lied smoothly. “But I still want to catch a match sometime.”

“Tenzin won’t be very happy.” Jinora said.

“Surely Toph and I can go by ourselves?” Katara argued.

“Well…”

“Tenzin isn’t the boss of us.” Toph agreed. “We’re not his kids.”

Jinora quietened, frowning unhappily.

Katara noticed and cleared her throat. “Hey, maybe we can persuade him to let all of us listen to a match on the radio?”

Jinora perked up.

“But I wanted to go to the arena and see one.” Toph grumbled.

“We can do that later.” Katara said. “I bet it would be fun to listen to one on the radio.”

“Well, I hope the announcer is good at least.” Toph muttered.

“Shiro Shinobi is an excellent speaker.” The acolyte with glasses said.

“How do you know that?” Toph pressed. “I thought you said you hadn’t seen a match in years.”

“Well, I…I may have caught a match or two on the radio.” The acolyte admitted.

Another acolyte, a short, round man, glared at him. “So, that’s why you snuck off with the radio all those times. You weren’t listening to calming music, you were hogging it for probending!”

Several others joined in, making the acolyte with glasses flinch.

“Don’t corner him.” Katara said. “What about probending teams?”

“There are tons of different teams.” The acolyte with glasses smiled. “They’re all themed after animals. There are the Laogai Lion Vultures, the Fire Ferrets, and the Wolf Bats. My favourite team is the Red Sands Rabaroos. They’re all-female and they’re so fast. I-”

“Tell us about the other teams.” Toph demanded.

“Erm, well, you might like the Fire Ferrets- “

-BOOM-

The explosion rocked the ground, rattling the buildings and furniture and sending birds scattering.

Everyone panicked. Several people fell to the floor in shock, others covered their ears and winced, while Ikki and Meelo both screamed and started crying.

Katara covered her ears and stumbled away from the others, looking out at the bay.

There was a large cloud of black smoke curling over the docks.

W-what??She thought, reeling. What could’ve caused that?She looked at the dorms, then back at the smoke, and made a decision. I should go there. I need to help people. I bet Tenzin will do the same.

Lowering her hands, she ran full pelt towards the bison cave.

The bison were all panicking, stampeding and flailing around, crashing into one another.

“Hey!” She called out.

None of them heard her.

She took a deep breath and screamed. “I NEED TO HELP TENZIN.”

The bison froze. Multiple pairs of desperate eyes stared at her.

Katara raced towards Oogie and angled her head. He understood immediately and angled his own head so that she could climb onto his back.

This is crazy. I could easily fall off. Katara thought dizzily as she scrambled up his fur. But I have to do this. I have to help people.

Oogi groaned and rose into the air, the other bison got out of his way, and he started floating towards the entrance of the cave.

Katara gripped Oogi’s fur as hard she could and braced herself.

Outside, someone yelled at her.

“Katara! What are you doing?” Jinora shouted.

Toph was standing next to her, looking around anxiously.

She can’t see me. She must be so worried. Katara’s heart lurched in her chest.

“I’m going to help Tenzin! I know he’ll be there. They might need a waterbender!” She answered.

“But the police force has emergency waterbenders!” Jinora said.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll get there first.” Katara said.

“I’m coming with you.” Toph declared.

“No. Stay here with Aang.”

Oogi was getting higher into the air. They couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

“Yip Yip Oogi!” Katara commanded.

“Katara!” Jinora yelled her name, while Toph just grimaced.

Oogi sped away from the island, heading towards the cloud of smoke.

Katara did not look back.

---

Chapter Text

Zuko dragged Sokka behind the sofa and clenched his teeth. It wasn’t much of a cover. If any of their enemies lit it on fire, it wouldn’t last long.

He couldn’t lift his head above the sofa, or it would be blasted off. He had to settle for peeking around the corner and doing his best to dissipate or redirect the fireballs that were being thrown at them.

As for their attackers, there were three of them. All firebenders. And they didn’t let up. The balls of fire kept coming. One after another. They were trapped.

Zuko cursed. He wanted to vault over the sofa and give them hell. Usually, he’d be able to take on all three of them at once, but due to his tiredness and his injured companion, he didn’t want to risk it.

Suddenly, the fireballs stopped.

“Traitor prince! Come out with your hands up!” An authoritative voice yelled.

“Never!” Zuko growled back.

“Then die!”

The onslaught continued.

“Zuko.” Sokka hissed. “We should pretend to surrender. We can take them by surprise.”

“No.” Zuko snapped. “They’ll just burn us alive.”

Sokka sighed. “I’m just doing my best to come up with a plan. Before- “

-WOOSH-

Azula sped past them, a mad look in her eyes, and fire trailing her hands.

She batted away the oncoming fireballs as if they were nothing and tore out of the house.

Zuko leapt over the sofa and hurried after her.

The three benders outside froze, unnerved by the sight of an old woman wearing slippers coming at them.

Azula took advantage of their shock and summoned a massive wheel of fire. Spinning it around herself in one fluid motion, she overwhelmed all three of them and blasted them off their feet.

Zuko threw himself backwards to avoid getting burned, desperately clinging to the door as the flames whipped past him.

Azula dismissed the fire and fell to her knees, breathing deeply.

Zuko swallowed and stepped forward to help her.

She took his arm and stood up, swearing as her bones creaked.

“Azula?” He asked, frowning with concern.

“M’ fine.” Azula grumbled. Her eyes went wide. “Behind you- “

Zuko felt heat on his back and turned around just in time, deflecting a bolt of fire into the sand.

One of the benders had managed to push himself up onto his haunches. He was already drawing his hand back to launch another shot.

Before Zuko could react, Azula sighed and punched several balls of fire at him in quick succession, almost falling to her knees again.

Zuko caught her, wincing and looking away as he heard the fire hit the bender right in the face.

The bender screamed, quickly fading away into a wet gurgle, and then silence.

“Azula- “He started, staring at her in horror.

“Zuko, the others are getting up.” She muttered, face blank.

“What- “

“Get down.” She commanded, shoving him away and summoning fire.

Zuko fell onto his back and wheezed. All the air had been knocked out of him.

Azula started haphazardly throwing lashes of fire at the two remaining benders, movements erratic and violent.

Zuko was forced to roll away to avoid being hit. In the chaos of it all, he didn’t catch much of what was going on.

The two benders died quickly. Torn apart by reams of fire. They didn’t even have time to scream, only firing off a few desperate bursts of fire as they burned.

Azula stopped bending and sat down on the sand with a groan, body trembling.

Breathing shakily, Zuko staggered to his feet and surveyed the scene.

The first benders face had melted off, leaving a bubbling puddle of loose skin and fat on the ground. Azula had reduced the other two to ash. There was almost nothing left of them.

He tore his eyes away and grimaced in disgust, feeling his stomach churn. “Azula, what the fuck was that for?”

“It was self-defence.” She stated, voice forthright, making it clear there was no room for argument.

He wasn’t going to give in that easily. “We could’ve taken them prisoner.” He glared at her with all his might. “You didn’t have to kill them.”

“I had to.” She argued, shaking her head. “They were going to kill us. They wouldn’t have stopped.”

“We could have knocked them out. Taken them prisoner.” He said desperately.

“There were three of them.” She huffed. “Zuko, we’re both very talented benders, but you’re exhausted and I’m an old woman. We wouldn’t have been able to keep fighting them forever. She gave him a pointed look. “Did you…did you know about them?”

“No.” He murmured, hesitating.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“When we woke up on the beach, there was flaming debris all around us.” He admitted. “From Fire Nation airships.”

“Airships?” She frowned, then recoiled. “You…you’re from the final battle against father- Ozai.”

Zuko nodded.

“But that doesn’t make any sense…” She murmured. “You’re still alive. Sokka is dead. It doesn’t make any sense. You shouldn’t be here.”

Zuko sighed. He had to tell her everything now. Including the worst. “Azula, I was flying with Katara. We were going to rejoin Aang. We had just…” He hesitated, taking a deep breath to force himself to continue. “…defeated the other you.”

Azula stared at him. “I shot you with lightning…”

He nodded.

“You jumped in front of Katara. I almost killed you.” She said, starting to shake.

“Azula…it’s okay.” He tried comforting her. “I’m confused as well.”

“N-no- “

A crackling sound and a scream disturbed their conversation.

“ZUKO. MAD OLD LADY AZULA!” Sokka screeched. “A LITTLE HELP HERE!”

They frowned at each other in confusion and turned towards the noise.

Azula’s house was on fire.

A few loose sparks must’ve landed on it during the battle.Zuko thought. Either Azula or the soldiers could’ve done it.

“Zuko, we need to work together to put it out.” Azula said.

“We have to get Sokka first.” Zuko said, already moving. “Try and contain the fire while I get him out.”

“Zuko!” She yelled.

He ignored her, covered his mouth with his shirt, and ran into the flaming house. Being a firebender, the heat didn’t bother him, but inhaling the smoke would still kill him.

Sokka had lodged himself behind the sofa, doing his best to cover his mouth with his bare hands.

Zuko hauled him onto his back, carried him outside, and placed him carefully on the sand, doing his best to avoid hurting his injured leg.

Sokka immediately started coughing and spluttering, but Zuko couldn’t help him. He had to deal with the fire, before Azula’s house had completely burned down.

Azula gave them a relieved look. “Ready Zuko?” She asked, raising her arms.

Zuko nodded.

Together, they carefully siphoned the fire off the house. It was a painstaking process. One person had to hold the flames in place, while the other had to carefully bend them away into the ocean.

By the time they had finished, most of the house was still intact. But the sitting room, including the sofa and his sleeping bag, had been badly burned.

“Well, so much for sleeping.” Zuko snarked.

“Go and check on Sokka.” Azula said, sitting down and breathing shallowly.

“O-okay.” Zuko shot her a worried look but went to check on his friend.

Sokka was still coughing, chest heaving in and out as he struggled to regain his breath.

Zuko sat next to him and thumped him on the back. “M’fine.” Sokka rasped. “Didn’t inhale much of the smoke.”

“You still need a healer.” Zuko said.

“M’don’t.” Sokka slurred, coughing again. “Besides, where are we going to find a healer now. The ocean?” He gestured at the water in front of them.

“My nurse, Laika, is a waterbender.” Azula said suddenly. “She’ll be here in a good 7 hours or so.”

“That’s too long.” Zuko said, watching Sokka struggle. “Is there any way we can make her come sooner? You must have some sort of way to communicate with her?”

Azula pursed her lips. “No. I didn’t want them to disturb me. I don’t even have a radio.”

“Radio?”

“It’s an electronic device. You can use it for long range communication. It also plays music.”

“Really?” Sokka said, quirking an eyebrow in disbelief.

“Yes, really.” Azula answered impatiently.

“Can we please get back on track?” Zuko muttered. “Azula, does anyone live on any of the nearby islands?”

“Yes. There is a small town on a neighbouring island.” Azula said. “My nurse stays there. On a clear day, you can see it on the distance.”

“Hrm.” Zuko furrowed his brow and looked around. His eyes fell on Azula’s burnt house. Whisps of smoke were rising from the roof. He smiled.

“Zuko, what are you planning?” Azula asked.

“We need to make a bonfire.” Zuko said. “One large enough that they’ll see it.”

“Before you do that, I want you to tell me everything.” Azula demanded. “How you got here, what happened after the battle, everything.”

“Azula…It’ll take too long.”

“No.” Azula snapped. “Tell me.”

“Fine.” Zuko took a deep breath and told her everything.

Azula didn’t flinch once, only sighing sadly when he had finished recounting their fight.

“After that, Katara and I flew on Appa to regroup with the others.” Zuko said. “When we reached the battlefield, we separated. I went to help Sokka, and she went to help Aang. He…” Zuko scrunched up his face, trying to remember. “…hadn’t defeated our father- Ozai. After that, my memory gets really hazy. The last thing I can remember is a bright flash of light, then, nothing.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.” Azula said.

Zuko frowned. “Well, yeah, it came out of nowhere- “

“No, no. Not that.” Azula shook her head. “Aang defeated Ozai. Took away his bending.”

“What?” Sokka yelled, while Zuko just stared at her in disbelief.

“He went into the Avatar State and used some special Avatar power to defeat him.” Azula said. “It was called Energybending.”

“How do you know about this?” Sokka asked sharply.

“He told me.” Azula shrugged. “We never talked all that much, but he did, eventually, tell me how he had defeated my father. Apparently, a giant lionturtle taught him how to do it.”

“That sounds like bullshit.” Sokka huffed. “But it’s Aang. So, it must be true.”

“The Avatar is incredibly powerful. More powerful than any other being in existence.” Azula said.

“But taking away someone’s bending- “

“Can I get started on the bonfire now?” Zuko cut in.

“What are you going to use?” Azula asked.

“For a base, I can use what remains of the sofa.” Zuko said. “For fuel…I’m going to need lots of paper or some sort of cloth. Do you have anything I could use?”

“Zuko, my house just almost burned down.” Azula deadpanned.

“Oh, ummm.” Zuko scratched the back of his neck. “I guess I could use canvas from the wreckage.”

“That’s all the way on the other side of the island.” Sokka said roughly. “It’ll take hours. We may as well wait.”

“Do you have any other plan?” Zuko countered.

“I do.” Azula spoke up. “You can use my silk bedsheets.”

“Silk…?”

“They’re special.” Azula sighed. “But you need them more. They should burn easily.”

“Azula…”

“Just use them, Zuzu.” Azula said tiredly.

Zuko opened and closed his mouth, then nodded.

He went and got the sofa, slowly dragging it out of the house so he wouldn’t hurt his back. Pulling it up the beach, he gave the bodies a wide berth.

We did something horrible.He thought with a shudder, eyeing the corpse of the first man Azula had killed.

Sokka followed his gaze and paled. “I-I didn’t realise they were dead. Zuko, did you kill them?”

“I killed them.” Azula revealed. “It was self-defence.”

“Ohh.” Sokka swallowed nervously.

“I if I hadn’t, they would’ve killed us.” Azula continued. “Then they would’ve gone into the house and killed you.”

“…” Sokka grimaced and turned away with a cough.

“Azula, leave him.” Zuko said.

“…sure.”

Zuko put down the sofa with a huff. “I’m going to get the sheets.”

“They’re upstairs. In the closet to the right of my bed.” Azula explained. “Be careful. The fire might’ve damaged the structure of my house.”

“Okay.” Zuko said softly.

The stairs held his weight as he went up them and entered Azula’s bedroom.

Zuko blinked. The room was completely untouched. The fire hadn’t damaged it at all.

There wasn’t much furniture. Just a bed, a table and chair, and a small mirror.

There was a…picture on the table. It was black and white and showed a group of smiling people. Four of them, to be precise

Zuko recognised them immediately.

Him, his sister, Mai, and Ty Lee.

The were older. Ty Lee had her arm around Azula. Her smile was slightly cautious, while Azula’s was…guilty, with a hint of hope. It startled him. It seemed out of character for her.

His and Mai’s smiles were strained. Her’s more so than his.

Zuko averted his eyes.

This isn’t my future. This isn’t my world.He told himself, going to the closet and rifling through it. He found the silk sheets easily enough and brought them back to the beach.

Zuko threw them on top of the sofa and set them alight. The fire spread quickly. Then he took a deep breath and concentrated, raising his arm in a slow, smooth, motion. The fire got brighter. But not bright enough.

He yawned. He was far too tired for this. But he had to keep going. Until they were sure someone from the village had seen it.

“Zuko, stand aside.” Azula said.

“You’re going to use your blue fire, aren’t you?” Zuko asked, giving her a cautious look.

Azula nodded and limped over. “Go and join Sokka. Talk to him or something. He needs a distraction.” She flexed her hands upwards, and the fire immediately turned a vibrant blue and started spiralling into the air.

Zuko followed her instructions and sat down next to his shivering friend. “Here.” He warmed up his body and scooted closer.

“Th-thanks.” Sokka muttered, hugging himself. “This…this whole situation sucks.”

“I know. But help will be here soon.” Zuko said gently.

“They better be.” Sokka glanced at Azula, expression tense. “I want to get away from this beach, from her.”

“I know what you mean. She…I had a big fight with my sister when I went to reclaim the crown.” Zuko tensed, unconsciously balling his hands into fists. “She almost killed me.”

“Zuko…” Sokka sighed and shook his head. “No, don’t answer me. I’m just tired.”

“What is it Sokka?” Zuko said.

“Do you…what do you think of everything we’ve learned so far?” Sokka said. “About the lives we led here?”

Zuko froze. He hadn’t expected this. “What do you mean?”

Sokka winced. “Sorry for springing this on you. I’m just…freaking out a bit here.”

“It’s okay. I’m freaking out as well.” Zuko admitted.

“What about…becoming a world leader?” Sokka ventured.

“After I denounced my father and left the Fire Nation, I hadn’t really given it much thought before Uncle asked me. I thought he’d take the throne.” Zuko confessed, hunching up his shoulders. “After I defeated Azula- back in our time, I became more accepting of it. I understand that we need to help put things back together, but rebuilding the whole world…it’s overwhelming.”

“It’s unfair.” Sokka said bluntly. “We grew up in a war-torn world- I lost my mother,and now they expect us to help rebuild it. Even if we were happy with the lives we led here, you- we should all get to live our lives the way we see fit.” He took a deep breath. "I mean, Aang is the Avatar, it's his job to bring balance to the world and help people. And I wouldn't have minded helping him, but...I'd like to have a choice in it."

“Y-yeah.” Zuko murmured. “Although, it seems I “warmed” up to my role as Firelord here.” He grinned weakly at his friend.

“Hah.” Sokka snorted. “Leave the jokes to me.”

Azula rejoined them. “Right, I think that’s enough. If they don’t notice that fire, then they’re blind. They should be here within the hour.”

“Thanks, Azula.” Zuko said. Sokka mumbled his thanks.

Azula grunted and sat down.

And so, they waited. And waited.

Then, they heard a horn, and a yell.

“Azula?” A timid voice said.

The boat came rumbling into the jetty. Both Sokka and Zuko stared at it. It was smooth and sleek and fast. Unlike any other machine they had ever seen before.

The two people in the boat, a young waterbender and a Fire Nation guard, gaped at them in confusion.

“Laika,” Azula stood up and addressed the waterbender. “The water tribe boy needs help. He inhaled a lot of smoke.”

Laika snapped back to reality and jumped out of the boat, stopping when she spotted the bodies. “…how did that happen?”

“We were attacked. I’ll tell you the whole story later.” Azula said.

“Right.” Laika nodded, giving her a critical eye. “You need healing too, Azula”.

“Help the boy first.”

Laika nodded and knelt by Sokka, studying him intently. Sokka went red, finding her gaze unnerving.

Laika pursed her lips and turned to Zuko. “Excuse me, can you please give us some space?”

“S-sure.” Zuko got up and stumbled away, only to pause with a frown. Someone was watching him. He looked up.

The guard in the boat was still staring at him.

“Kazuo, focus.” Azula ordered gently.

Kazuo flinched. “S-sorry Azula.” He stood to attention, pointedly looking away from Zuko.

Laika told Sokka to breathe in and out, frowning when it sent him into another coughing fit, and then studied his leg. She got out some water and started healing him, making him sigh in relief. “We need to get him back to my clinic. I cna heal him properly there.” She turned to Zuko. “Are you injured?”

Zuko shook his head.

She put her water away, stood up and nodded at her companion. “Kazuo, come here and help this boy into the boat.” She glanced at Azula’s burnt house. “Are you coming with us, Azula?”

“Of course.” Azula scoffed.

Laika chuckled. “Sorry. It’s just…in all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never left this island.”

“Well, nothing’s impossible.” Azula retorted.

Zuko glanced between them, then huffed, and climbed onto the boat. Kazuo lifted Sokka into it, and then Azula and Laika got in.

They sped off. Zuko had to grab the side of the boat, his stomach turning. It was too fast for him. Thankfully, before too long, they’d arrived at the small town.

Aside from a few guards, a man was waiting for them at the docks. He wore red shoulder pads and a strange, pointed hat. Zuko frowned. The man was a fire sage.

He was old. But not as old as Azula. He was probably in his mid-70s.

There’s also something vaguely familiar about him.He mused, as their boat shuddered to a stop and Kazuo threw a rope to one of the guards so he could tie it up.

“What is a Fire Sage doing here?” Azula asked tiredly.

“He arrived a few hours ago.” Laika said. “I don’t know why he’s here though.”

They all slowly got off the boat. The sage cleared his throat and stepped forward to greet them. “Azula, isn’t this lucky. I was just on my way to see you.”

“You?” Azula said, staring at him. “But it’s been years. What are you doing here?”

“Well, ever since my sister died, I haven’t gotten out much.” The Sage said sadly. “Now, as for these two…” He glanced at Zuko and Sokka.

“Do I know you?” Zuko said, narrowing his eyes at him.

“You do.” The sage smiled at him. “Or rather did, when I was much, much, much younger.”

“You don’t seem very surprised to see us.” Sokka observed. He was leaning heavily on Kazuo. The young man could barely support his weight.

“I’m not.” The Sage explained. “Considering the significant spiritual activity the Avatar Temples have been experiencing.”

“What sort of spiritual activity?” Zuko pressed.

“Oh, eerie lights, rumbling, the usual.” The Sage chuckled. “The sort of thing we hoped the Avatar would deal with. Unfortunately, she hasn’t completed her training yet.”

“Aang is dead.” Zuko stated.

“Yes.” The Sage sighed. “I was lucky enough to meet Aang several times. He visited my sister, and her husband, quite often. His spirituality rubbed off on me. Inspired me to become a fire sage.”

Zuko peered closely at him. “I know you…”

“My name is Tomo.” The Sage said. “But you knew me as Tom-Tom.”

Zuko recoiled. “ You’re Tom-Tom?”

“Sorry to keep it a secret.” Tom-Tom laughed richly.

“Hey, we need to get Sokka to my clinic.” Laika cut in, unfazed by the reunion. “His lungs are damaged, and his leg is badly sprained.”

Tom-Tom paled. “Ohh, right. This way. There’s a car we can use.”

“A what?” Sokka shook his head. “This future is so confusing.”

“Oh, it’s going to get a lot more confusing, believe me.” Tom-Tom said. “Aang’s son is going to be here tomorrow. And he’s going to take us to see the Firelord.”

Chapter Text

“Councilman Tenzin?”

“Tenzin!”

“Councilman Tenzin, pay attention!”

Tenzin jolted back to reality, blinking rapidly and shaking his head. He looked at his fellow councillors. They were all staring at him.

“Tenzin, are you with us?” Tarrlok pressed.

“Erm, yes.” Tenzin coughed. “What were we talking about?”

“The upcoming protest for non-bender rights.” Tarrlok said, giving him an unimpressed look. “Have you been listening to a single word I’ve been saying?”

Tenzin felt his cheeks heat up and scratched the back of his head, trying to remember something, anything, about the meeting. He could only recall a single word. “Permit.” He said.

“I’m sorry?” Tarrlok frowned at him.

“You mentioned a permit.” Tenzin nodded. “I’m err, assuming that we were debating whether or not to give them a permit to protest?”

“Yes, Tenzin.” Tarrlok said. “Although, I don’t think we should. It could be dangerous.”

“We should let them air their views.” Tenzin countered. “They have legitimate grievances. They won’t hurt anyone- “

“Haven’t hurt anyone.” Tarrlok cut across him smoothly. “Yet.”

“They’re peaceful protestors. They just want to picket the park for a few hours.” Tenzin said, recalling more of the meeting.

The Fire Nation representative cleared her throat. “I’m inclined to agree with Tarrlok here. If we give them a platform, it may encourage more people to join them and then the protest may get out of hand.”

“I also agree.” The Earth Nation representative said.

The Southern Water Tribe representative just nodded along.

“Tarrlok…” Tenzin sighed and shut his jaw. There was no point in arguing with the waterbender any further. He’d never change his mind. Or any of their minds , He thought bitterly. I’ve never felt so useless. Why did I come here today?

“Let’s vote on this measure.” Tarrlok stated. “Then we can have a recess.”

Finally. This farce will be over.Tenzin started tapping his foot against the floor, eager to leave.

“Everyone in favour, raise your hand.” Tarrlok said, smirking.

Tenzin raised his hand stiffly, almost immediately putting it down again.

“And those against?” Tarrlok said in a singsong voice, raising his own hand.

The three other representatives joined him.

“Motion denied.” Tarrlok announced, thumping his gavel. “The council is adjourned. See you all in an hour.”

Tenzin was the first person to leave the room, sweeping out without a backwards glance. He needed to get away from everyone. Find a quiet place to think. Unfortunately, Tarrlok was hot on his heels.

“Tenzin, are you sure you’re better?” The waterbender asked with faux concern. “You took the day off yesterday. Rather uncharacteristic of you. Do you need more time off?”

“I’m fine.” Tenzin snapped, shooting him a knowing look. “Just a little tired.”

“Let’s take a walk. Get some air.” Tarrlok suggested. “There’s a balcony on the floor above.”

Tenzin opened his mouth to decline, but Tarrlok had already taken him firmly by the elbow and was guiding him up the nearest flight of stairs at a surprising speed.

Tenzin sighed and decided to humour the waterbender. Maybe he had had something important to discuss.

Nope. He just wanted to probe for information.

“So, what’s this I’ve been hearing about a mysterious waterbender that’s been staying at Air Temple Island?” Tarrlok asked as soon as they had stepped out onto the balcony.

What!? How did he discover that?Tenzin thought, breath quickening.

“Come now Tenzin, you know nothing gets past me.” Tarrlok smirked. “Especially when our Chief of Police gets a rare visit from her estranged family at the same time. Very suspicious.”

“Lin’s family?” Tenzin said weakly.

“Yes. Her niece.” Tarrlok preened. “Her very troublesome, very rebellious , niece.”

Tenzin took a deep breath. I’m sorry Lin. I need to respond to this. “I know about her niece. And the trouble she caused.” He said. “She’s staying with me.”

“Very interesting.” Tarrlok laughed obnoxiously. “And the mysterious waterbender?”

“What about the waterbender?” Tenzin tried to sound nonchalant.

“Is it the Avatar?” Tarrlok asked, a hungry look in his eyes.

Tenzin relaxed. Phew. That was a close one.“It’s not Korra. It’s my mother’s latest apprentice.” He said with a smile.

“Oh.” Tarrlok’s face fell.

“She wanted to visit Republic City. She’s a waterbending prodigy.”

“Is she?” Tarrlok muttered, checking his watch. “Y’know, Tenzin, I should get going- “

“Tarrlok, Korra is still in the South Pole.” Tenzin glared at him. “She’s almost finished learning firebending. But she’s not coming here. Unless the non-bender situation in Republic City destabilises any further, I plan on going south to teach her.”

“No need to be so snippy. I understand perfectly. I thought you had tried to sneak her into the city, but it seems I was wrong.” Tarrlok grinned mirthlessly at him. “This has been fun, Tenzin, but I must get going.” He turned on his heel and headed for the door.

Tenzin frowned. I don’t want him to leave yet. I need to figure out how he knew about Toph and Katara. Maybe if I get him talking, I can trick him into revealing his source… “Tarrlok?”

“Yes, Tenzin?” The waterbender stopped but didn’t turn back around.

“The council…do you think we’ll ever learn to work together?” He asked earnestly.

“We are working together.” Tarrlok laughed. “We’re both members of the city council and we work together to pass laws.”

“ You pass them.” Tenzin pointed out. “I just sit there and raise my hand. Alone. All of the other council members follow your initiative.”

“Tenzin, they only follow my initiative because they want what’s best for the city.” Tarrlok said, voice dripping with fake politeness. “If you were around more often, you’d understand that.”

“You mean if I did more political bootlicking, attending parties and schmoozing with people and such.” Tenzin complained.

“It’s all part of the job Tenzin.” Tarrlok said, turning and giving him a surprisingly serious look. “You’ve chosen your family over your political career. No one can blame you for that. But don’t complain when you can’t get your way in government.”

Tenzin huffed. “Did you ever meet my father?”

“No.” Tarrlok frowned. “Why are you asking me that?”

“I wonder sometimes…would the world be a better place if he were still around?” Tenzin confessed. “What if he came back? What would you do Tarrlok?”

“There’s no point talking about “what if’s” Tenzin.” Tarrlok shrugged. “But “if” Aang came back…I don’t know what I would do.”

“I think the world needs the Avatar now more than ever.” Tenzin said.

“Well, you should bring Korra here then.” Tarrlok joked, with a hint of seriousness. “Maybe when you go south, I should go with you.

“I’m not so sure about that Tarrlok.”

“I could really help her Tenzin- “

-BOOM-

“Get down!” Tenzin bellowed, pulling the waterbender to the ground.

“What was that?” Tarrlok murmured, looking around with wide eyes.

“It was an explosion.” Tenzin said, listening carefully. “Judging from the direction of the sound, it came from the south, on the other side of the river.”

“But…what could’ve caused it?” Tarrlok said, face turning pale.

“I have no idea.” Tenzin replied, slowly getting to his feet. “But there’s no point in standing around here. I’m going to check it out.” He unfurled his glider and launched himself into the air.

“Tenzin!” Tarrlok yelled.

Tenzin ignored him and flew further up, high above the rooftops of the city.

What he saw made his heart plummet.

There was a wide plume of smoke over the docks, turning the air black.

Oh no.He swallowed. I need to get over there and see If I can help. It’s…why do I have the feeling that it’s connected to Aang’s arrival?

He huffed and increased speed, flying as fast as he could.

Suddenly, sirens rang out, and a police airship flew in close.

“Tenzin!” Lin called out over the intercom. “Get in here!” The door to the airship opened.

Tenzin huffed and flew in, the door shuddering close behind him.

The airship was full of officers, and one very angry police chief.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Lin growled at him.

“I was on my way to help.” Tenzin snapped.

“Why? You could’ve gotten hurt. This is police business.” She argued.

“I came because I think it has something to do with…” He looked at the officers, who were staring at them with wide eyes. “…umm, recent events .”

Lin’s eyes flashed, then she sighed dramatically. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. But if you’re here, you may as well stick around. Just don’t get in our way.”

“Thank you.” He smiled.

“As for the rest of you…” Lin glared at her officers. “…you can stop staring and start listening.”

Everyone quickly stood to attention.

“Right.” She cleared her throat. “We need to assess the damage and get what wounded we can onto the airship, so they can be airlifted to a hospital. Healers are on their way and will deal with those too severely wounded to be moved. After we’ve secured the scene and evacuated everyone, firefighters will come in and deal with the fires.” She took a deep breath. “Everyone, get ready!”

Tenzin looked out of the nearest window. The smoke loomed. They were coming close to the docks.

He braced himself as the airship landed, jostling everyone inside. And then the doors opened.

It was chaos outside.

Screams and wails came from all directions. Bodies and lumps of flaming debris littered the ground. People were running up and down, trying to put out fires, or patch up survivors, or pull them from the water.

Farther out to sea, he could see several boats on fire, spewing smoke into the air.

Led by Lin, the officers all jumped out in formation, one by one. Tenzin hurried after them, only to freeze when his feet touched the ground.

I have no idea what I am doing.He realised. Where do I go? Who do I help?

An officer dashed towards him, carrying a wounded, groaning man, over his shoulder.

He deftly leapt aside, letting the officer pass. Right. One thing is clear: I need to get out of the way. He started running down the waterfront, looking for anyone he could help.

Something caught his eye. At the end of one of the piers, a large metal hull loomed out of the water, red canvas floating around it. Some of it was on fire. Flames dancing on the surface of the water.

What is that? He stopped and stepped closer. Is it a boat? No, it can’t be-

A loud, haggard, roar resounded throughout the docks.

Only one creature can make a sound like that. He pushed the metal out of his mind and rushed towards the noise.

Right at the end of the docks, beyond all the screams and fire, a group of dockworkers surrounded a lone sky bison.

It wore a saddle, and it was pure white, not light brown like all the other bison.

It’s Appa! His heart rose. Aang will be so happy to see him. But I need to calm him down before he hurts anyone.

One of the men stepped forward nervously.

Appa rose into the air and whipped his tail, threatening to airbend them all away.

The man stumbled back.

“Appa!” Tenzin yelled, rushing in.

Appa spotted him and stopped moving his tail, growling with alarmed curiosity.

“Get away from him.” He commanded. “He’s my responsibility!”

The men nodded wordlessly at him and fled.

“Hello Appa.” He cooed. “You must be very confused.”

Appa shook his head, regarding him with a suspicious eye.

I must be very careful. I can’t spook him.He kept a steady gaze with the bison. “Appa, I’m an Airbender.” He unfurled his staff with a blast of air. “I’m a friend.”

Appa raised his eyes, pupils going impossibly wide.

“I also have a bison of my own.” He showed Appa his whistle. “His name is Oogi. I’d summon him here, but…” He gestured at the chaos behind him.

Appa’s expression cleared. He very, very,slowly lowered himself to the ground.

Tenzin took a few cautious steps closer.

Appa didn’t react, still staring at him, waiting for him to make the next move.

That’s a start.He swallowed. As long as nothing unexpected happens, I should be able to get him out of here.

Of course, right at that very moment, something unexpected happened.

Oogi flew in from the bay and landed carefully on the ground a few meters away from them.

Appa shuddered, angling his tail into the air. Tenzin raised his staff. The bison was about to take off. He would need to fly after him to calm him down.

Katara came tumbling off Oogi’s back and raced towards them. “Appa!” She called.

Appa groaned happily and trotted over to meet her, lowering his head so she could hug him.

She whispered something to him, and he relaxed completely.

Tenzin cautiously approached her. “You rode Oogi without a saddle?” He asked, frowning.

She nodded, still hugging Appa.

“You could’ve gotten killed!” He admonished her.

“I came here to help.” She declared, glaring lightly at him. “I’m not leaving.”

He sighed, pinching his nose. “Fine, follow me. I know that it’s pointless to argue with you. Lin might not be so forgiving.”

She gave him a surprised look.

“Growing up, my mother was always on call. If she had to, she would rush out to heal a patient, or deliver a baby, or answer an emergency. If someone needed her help, she would help them.” He explained.

“Oh.” Her eyes filled with determination. “Take me to the injured.”

“In a moment.” He glanced at Appa. “We can’t leave Appa here.”

“He’ll go back to Air Temple Island with Oogi.” She said. “I’ve told him Aang is there.”

“…right.” He nodded. He knew flying bison were smart and he trusted Katara’s instincts.

“One second.” She turned back to Appa. “Appa, where’s Momo?”

Appa shook his head sadly.

“Did you see anyone?” She patted his snout. “Zuko, Suki, or Sokka?”

Appa groaned and craned his head towards the metal hull.

She followed his gaze and blanched. “Tenzin, that’s a Fire Nation Airship. From the battle with Ozai.”

“W-what?” He sputtered, staring at her in abject horror.

“There might still be explosives onboard.” She said. “We need to evacuate the area. Get everyone away from it as fast as possible.” She bit her lip. “It could blow up any second.”

“Katara- “

“Take me to Lin.” She demanded.

--

Chapter Text

They ran back through the chaos until they found Lin. She was busy directing her officers, getting them to pull men out of the water and bring them to shore.

“Lin!” Tenzin yelled, rushing up to her, his cloak flapping behind him. Katara was hot on his heels, keeping her breathing measured and trying not to think about the explosion that could happen at any second and rip them all apart.

Lin barked an order to her officers and turned to meet them, frowning when she saw her. “Katara, what are you doing here?”

“I’m here to help.” Katara stated, showing Lin her water pouch. “I’m an experienced healer.”

Lin put her hands on her hips and glared at her. “You’re a kid. You shouldn’t be here. It’s too dangerous.”

“You need me.” Katara argued, meeting her glare with one of her own. “If you don’t let me help, lives will be lost. And I can’t accept that.”

They started tensely at each other for a few moments, Tenzin glancing between them with a worried expression, then Lin sighed and then nodded.  “Fine. I’ll take you to the injured. They’re on the airship we arrived on.”

“One moment.” Katara said, taking a deep breath. “That metal hull in the water- “She pointed at it. “-it’s an airship from the battle with Ozai. I think there are still explosives on it. It could blow up any second. We need to evacuate everyone.”

“What?” Lin gasped, raising her eyebrows. “But…it couldn’t have caused the explosion, it’s still intact. So…. if it didn’t…what did cause the explosion?”

“I don’t know.” Katara answered. “Whatever caused the explosion…it was something very different.” She shook her head. “We’re wasting valuable time. I need to start healing people. You focus on the evacuation.”  

“Once we’ve finished rescuing everyone from the water, I’ll set up a perimeter and get everyone out.” Lin said. “But first, I’ll radio the fire brigade and get them to send more teams over.”

“What can I do?” Tenzin sidled in, holding up his staff. “I can try and contain the flames?”

Lin pursed her lips, then shook her head. “No. You’ll only fan them.” She huffed. “You’re a strong person Tenzin, you can help carry people to the airship. Go and speak to Officer Horata. He’s the one I was speaking to before.” She pointed at a tall officer on the edge of the shore.

Tenzin nodded and hurried away.

“Katara, with me.” Lin beckoned her to follow.  

They ran to the airship, only for Lin to stop her with a hand. “Are you sure about this? It’s not pretty. It might…it might be too much. I don’t feel good letting you do this.”

“I’m ready.” Katara stated, nodding curtly. “I know how to treat burns. I saved Aang after Azula hit him with lightning.”

Lin sighed and led her into the airship.

What Katara saw made her stomach flip. The police chief hadn’t been lying.

It was full of groaning and whimpering men and women, lying in small, huddled groups. Many of them had horrific burns, their skin a bubbling, angry, red.

“I’m going to the cockpit to radio the Fire Brigade.” Lin said gently, giving her a sympathetic look. “Do what you can.” She strode away, leaving her alone with the injured.  

You can do this. Katara assured herself. Just focus. Focus on the ones you can save. You’ve lost patients before. She remembered her first death, a woman in the South Pole who had died in childbirth. Back then, she’d had zero bending experience, but she’d still done her best to help her grandmother treat her. It hadn’t been enough. The woman had only been in her early 20s. Young. Too young to die.

Whimpers of pain and pleading brought her back to reality. Some of the injured were staring at her with hope in their eyes. They’d realised she was a healer.

Focus Katara. She smiled warmly at them and opened her pouch, flexing her fingers and drawing out water. Scanning the room, she quickly spotted a few people whose injuries were worse than the rest. They were her priority.

Stumbling forward, she went to treat her first patient.

There were too many of them, but she healed as many as she could. Only a few minutes had passed, but every second felt like an eternity.

She was leaning over a groaning woman when she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she met the kind gaze of an armoured waterbender. Several others stood behind him.

“We’ll take over from here.” He said. “Good job.”

“I can stay.” She murmured. “I can- “

“You’ve done enough.” The bender assured her. “We need to airlift them to a hospital. The police chief is requesting your presence outside.”

Lin left? I didn’t notice…She nodded and hurried off the ship. It took off behind her.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to pull herself together. Images of burns and scars kept cycling through her head. She had only been able to treat a fraction of the injured on the airship. Many of them weren’t going to make it.

What if I didn’t do a good enough job? What if I could’ve saved more if I’d arrived a few minutes earlier?

Tenzin came towards her, giving her a worried look. “Katara, are you…?”

“I’m fine.” She said quickly, smiling tiredly at him.  “Where is Lin? She wanted to see me?”

“She…” Tenzin sighed. “She’s set up a perimeter at the edge of the docks. Follow me.” He led her further up the waterfront. 

Katara looked around as they walked. To her surprise, the docks were deserted.  All of the civilians had been evacuated. 

As for the burning boats in the bay, teams of waterbenders on airships were dropping water and then carefully bending it onto the flames.  

The metal hull was still on fire. It had spread to the canvas in the water.

Hopefully it hasn’t spread to the inside…but we’re running out of time here. Katara thought, biting her lip. She and Tenzin came to a stop in front of some barricades.

A few officers were pushing back a crowd of curious onlookers, while Lin was briefing a team of waterbenders and firebenders on how to handle the fire. There was a small airship behind them.

Katara listened in closely.

“Everyone, there is a risk of another explosion. We need to deal with the fire as quickly as possible. The firebenders will go in first and try to keep it in place. I don’t want to see it spread any further. “Lin instructed, voice sharp and authoritative. “Half of the waterbenders will join them, while the rest will go onto the airship and focus on dropping water to them and bending it onto the main body of the fire. Any questions?” Her gaze swept across the assembled benders, almost challenging them to speak.

No one said anything.

“Right! Head out!”

The teams sprang into action, taking their places.  

The firebenders immediately started bending, flexing their arms back and forward in careful, repetitive motions, holding the fire in place. The waterbenders in the airship started dropping water, letting the waterbenders on the ground bend it onto the fire.

Katara stood transfixed. She looked at Tenzin, eyes wide. “Can I…?”

“Katara, they have it under control.” He shook his head.  “Leave it to them.”

“But I…”

“You’ve saved lives.” He said kindly. “C’mon, let’s go and join Lin. She can- “

“CHIEF BEI-FONG!” Shrieked a shrill voice.

A group of people came rushing towards the barricades, headed by a breathless woman with a very determined expression.

Tenzin muttered a curse, hurriedly covering Katara with his cloak.

“Tenzin?” She asked, giving him a questioning look.

“One second.” Tenzin said, not moving his eyes from the oncoming horde.

Lin scowled and went to meet them.

The group shuddered to a stop and started barraging her with yells, questions, and bright flashes of light. Katara winced and covered her eyes.

“Chief Bei-Fong, what was the cause of the explosion?

“Was it caused by Equalists?”

“Can you comment on Councilman Tenzin’s presence here?” 

“Lin! Was anyone hurt? Can you give us a number for a headline?”

Lin crossed her arms and glared at them. “I can confirm that some people were injured. As for the rest of your questions, no comment.” Her glare deepened. “This is a disaster zone. For your own safety, please leave.”

In response, the chorus of voices got louder, and the flashes of light increased. None of the reporters listened to her.

Katara winced again.

“Katara…” Tenzin gently ushered her away from the commotion. “Let’s find somewhere quiet and I’ll explain everything.”  

“But the fire!” Katara exclaimed. “I want to be around- in case anything goes wrong.”

“We won’t go far.”

“O-okay.”

They walked around the corner, ending up in an alleyway behind a warehouse.  

“Tenzin, who were they?” She asked cautiously.

“The press.” He said.

“Press?” She frowned.

“Journalists.”

“Ah.”

“I’m surprised it took them this long to arrive.” He muttered, face darkening. “They’re like lion vultures. They barge into sensitive situations and regularly ambush the police for the latest scoop. Lin’s always hated them.”

“Scoop?” She raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“The “hottest” story.” He said. “The newspapers will fight each other over who gets to break the news first. They’ll probably do a special edition of the Republic News”.

“Oh. So, they want to get all the facts straight and publish the truth.”

“Not quite.” He sighed. “They’ll probably exaggerate things.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’ll over-report on the number of injured, or state that there were multiple explosions.” He said tersely. “When there was only one.”

“They want more people to buy newspapers, so they make more money.” She realised.

“Exactly.” He said. “They don’t really care about the truth. That’s why I dragged you away. I didn’t want any of them to get a photo of you. I don’t want you to appear on the front page.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“That’s what the flashes were.” He explained. “They were taking photographs- images.”

“Woah.” She gasped. “I didn’t know that sort of technology existed.”

“There’s still a lot you don’t know about this world.” His expression became wistful. “A lot…”

“Hey.” She smiled at him, only to pause and frown when she saw spotted something over his shoulder.   

“Katara?” He asked, furrowing his brow.

“Tenzin, there are scorch marks on the wall behind you.” She murmured.

“What?” He whirled around. She was right. There were long black streaks on the wall of the warehouse, heading towards a back door that was tightly shut.

“They weren’t caused by the explosion. We’re in the middle of an alley, far away from the explosion site.” She observed, squinting at them closely. “I…I think it was a firebender, firing shots at someone.”

“What? Why?” He said, eyes flitting around in a panic.

“Something happened here. Something bad.” She frowned. “I don’t like it. Tenzin, we need to take a closer look. Investigate the warehouse.”

“Katara, we can’t do that now.” He cautioned her. “After the fire has been dealt with, then we can take a look. The police can help us.”

“But it might be Zuko.” She said, almost pleading with him. “He might be in danger.”

“Katara…” He took a deep breath. “We don’t know it was him. Maybe…the firebender was the aggressor. It could be dangerous.”

She hesitated for a few more moments, gazing forlornly at the door, then nodded. “…you’re right.”

“C’mon, let’s go back and keep an eye on the firefighters.”

“Yeah.”

They returned to the waterfront. Lin’s officers were dispersing the crowd, either aggressively leading people away or yelling at them to evacuate. Most caught the hint and left quickly. Only the reporters stayed behind, refusing to budge.

She and Tenzin hid behind some crates and watched the firefighter’s work. A few minutes passed, the fire slowly getting smaller and smaller.

The firebenders suddenly froze, while the waterbenders slowed, their movements becoming uncertain.

“Tenzin…” She said. “Something’s wrong.”

“I know.” He went pale.” We need to- “

The firebenders dropped their arms and started running. The waterbenders watched them leave, confusion on their faces. 

“We need to evacuate!” A fleeing firebender screamed. “It got too hot! There’s fire on the inside! It’s about to blow up!”

The panic was instantaneous. Everyone ran away at the same time, tripping over themselves and crashing into each other. The officers tried to keep order, but it was useless. They couldn’t control so many people.

Most of the waterbenders fled, jumping into the sea and taking off, using their bending to ski on the surface of the water, but a few remained behind, unwilling to abandon their posts, or just unable to grasp the gravity of the situation.

“Katara! We need to leave!” Tenzin yelled, unfurling his staff and holding out his hand to her.

“But…” Katara glanced at the panicking crowd and shook her head. “I have an idea! I can save everyone!” She took off towards the fire.  

“No! Stop!” He rushed after her.

“Hey! All of you!” She yelled at the remaining waterbenders.  

They turned to her expectantly, panic on their faces.

“We need to raise water out of the bay and form an ice platform underneath us. Then we can use the ocean to launch ourselves away from the fire. We can pick people up along the way.” She explained quickly, already bending.  

They all nodded and copied her movements, pulling a whole ton of water out of the ocean and forming a large platform of ice beneath their feet.

Tenzin skidded to a halt, then took a deep breath and clambered on, bracing himself for what was to come.

Pulling up the biggest wave they could muster, they launched themselves away from the fire. As they shot down the docks, they gathered up any remaining people, including Lin, throwing them onto the platform with large whips of water. Because of the lack of space, they had to dump them all into one big pile.  

It was just in time.

The wreckage exploded behind them, scattering fiery missiles in all directions. Several were heading straight for them.   

Katara and the benders reacted. Melting the platform, they quickly raised the water and froze it into a thick dome of ice over their heads.  

Some of the lumps of flaming metal almost hit the barrier, but Katara gritted her teeth and whacked them away, retracting and then reinforcing the ice quickly. The other waterbenders caught on and started helping her, catching any other projectiles she had missed.

The reporters huddled together, watching her with wide eyes.

Once the rain of devastation had ended, she and the benders slowly lowered their arms, pooling away the water and pushing it back towards the sea.

Immediately, there was a flurry of activity. The reporters started snapping photographs of her and yelling questions.

“Young lady! You saved our lives! Who are you?”

“Where did you learn to bend like that?”

“You’re only a teenager! Are you a firefighter in training?”

Katara flinched and turned away. Her arms were starting to ache. The adrenalin was fading.

“Everyone, give her space!” Lin demanded, almost growling at the reporters. She signalled her remaining officers. They strode forward and shoved them back, keeping at it until they had been forced a to retreat a considerable distance.    

There was a lot of complaining, but eventually, silence.

“Katara, are you okay?” Tenzin asked her worriedly.

“I’m fine.” Katara replied, her voice only trembling slightly. “Is everyone else okay?”

“Aside from being a bit battered and bruised, they’re fine.” Lin huffed. “We really need to come up with better procedures for this sort of thing. This is the first large scale industrial disaster Republic City has experienced in years.” She grimaced. “I did my best, but I could’ve done better. I should’ve listened to you and evacuated the whole area, let the airship blow up and damn the consequences.”

“Lin, don’t blame yourself.” Katara assured her. “You didn’t know when it would explode. You did the right thing: focus on saving lives.”

“Still, you warned us- “

One of the waterbenders approached them. “Excuse me, can I have a word?” He politely requested. “I’d just like to thank this young lady for saving our lives.”

“She has to return home.” Lin said blithely. “She wasn’t meant to be here.”

“Well, it’s a good thing she was.” The bender said. “While we were standing around like Koala Sheep, she figured out a way to save us all.” He nodded at Katara in approval.

“Th-thanks.” She mumbled. 

“No need to thank me.” The bender grinned. “I should be thanking you. So, thank you.”

“I…umm…”

“One of my colleagues told me that you also healed the injured sailors on the first aid airship.” The bender continued. “An amazing healer as well as a talented bender…where have you been hiding?”

“The South Pole…But I- as Lin said- I have to get going.” She swallowed, looking at Tenzin.

“Yes. This young lady is my responsibility.” Tenzin came to her rescue, putting a protective hand on her shoulder. “She’s been though a lot today. We need to get back to Air Temple Island.”

“Of course.” The bender said. “I hope we meet again in better circumstances!” He left them with a wave.

Lin sighed. “Right, now that that’s been dealt with…can you two make your own way back to Air Temple Island? I need to help my officers.”

“I have my bison whistle. I can call Oogi.” Tenzin said.

Lin nodded and turned away.

“Wait!” Katara exclaimed. “Tenzin and I- we came across something suspicious. When we walked away from the reporters earlier, we found some scorch marks on a warehouse. We need to go back- Zuko might be in trouble.”

“Katara, whatever it is, it’ll have to wait.” Lin said. “I need to organise a clean-up of the whole area, remove any dead bodies, answer the press, and address the council. If we find anything, I’ll tell you.” Her expression softened. “I’m sorry.”

“But…” Katara bit her lip.

“Look, when this is all over and done with, I’ll form a patrol and help the two of you investigate the warehouse.” Lin said gently. “It shouldn’t be more than a couple of days.”

“O-okay.”

Lin pursed her lips. “I just remembered something…Tenzin, have you messaged your mother, telling her about our new arrivals and asking her to help set up Katara’s backstory?” 

“No.” Tenzin admitted sheepishly.

“Do it as soon as you get home.”

“Have you messaged your sister?”

It was Lin’s turn to be embarrassed. Her face turned slightly red, and she crossed her arms and looked away.

“Lin…I know it’s going to be difficult. But you need to tell her.”

“I know, I know.” Lin scoffed. “If that’s all…?”

“That’s, all.” Tenzin said.

She stalked off.

“Tenzin, can we go?” Katara requested, suppressing a wince, and rubbing her arms.  “Please?”

“Sure.” Tenzin blew his bison whistle.

Less than a minute later, both Oogi *and* Appa answered the call, groaning in unison.

She couldn’t help but smile. “They were so worried about us that they stuck around.”

The two bison landed next to them.

She went over and rubbed Appa’s nose. “C’mon buddy, let’s go home. Let’s go to Aang.”

Appa licked her, making her giggle.

She and Tenzin clambered onto his back.  

Oogi gave them a questioning look.

“I’m sorry Oogi, but you don’t have a saddle on.” Tenzin said. “You know how important safety is to me.”

Oogi huffed but rose into the air and started flying away.

Appa followed him.

They flew slowly over the bay, Air Temple Island getting closer and closer.

Katara shut her eyes and leaned back against the saddle. I hope Zuko is okay... She frowned. But if he didn’t make the scorch marks, then who did?  

“Katara, we’re almost there.” Tenzin said suddenly.

She blearily opened her eyes and blinked at him.

He smiled at her. “After we land, I suggest you go and get some rest. You need it.”

“Yeah…”

Appa and Oogi both started descending.

She looked over the side.

A group of people were waiting for them. Pema, Toph, Tenzin’s kids, and…

Is that Aang?

Chapter Text

Chapter 10 Sokka I

Sokka wasn’t very happy.

His foot still hurt, he hadn’t gotten much sleep, he was in the Fire Nation, and worst of all, he had no idea where his sister was.

He wanted to jump out of bed and start looking for her, but because of his stupid injury, he couldn’t. It was driving him mad with worry. 

What if she woke up on a remote island like Zuko and I did? Except she didn’t have anyone to help her. We had Azula…even if she’s old and crazy, she still sheltered us for the night and *probably* saved our lives by killing those three soldiers. He clenched his hands into fists, releasing them with a huff. Quit being stupid Sokka. Your sister has survived much worse. She has her bending. She’s probably doing way better than you. She’s probably escaped the island and is surfing across the ocean on a giant slab of ice, looking for lives to save.

He needed to distract himself, so he looked around the clinic.

It was tiny. It only had four rooms: a reception, an examination room, where he and Zuko were staying, a storage room, where Laika had set up Azula, and a teeny tiny bathroom.

The furniture in the examination room was pretty basic: two cots, a small table with two chairs, several shelves, and a cabinet full of various medicines.

Suddenly, his injured foot twinged sharply, making him hiss in pain. Fuck. I need a healer. He thought, biting his cheek. Unfortunately, the only healer present was too busy tending to her other patient.

Laika was still with Azula. She had spent most of the night with her, treating her joints and muscles. Apparently, Azula had pushed herself too far and put her body through a lot of strain by fighting. He was trying to feel sorry for her but couldn’t muster up much sympathy.

Serves her right. He thought darkly. She put us all through so much. She killed Aang and I have a feeling she almost killed Zuko during their duel. If it wasn’t for Katara’s healing skills, both of them would be gone. He sighed. Katara... He shook his head and looked at Zuko, who was sleeping in the cot on the other side of the room. The firebenders expression was peaceful, chest rising and falling easily.

He sighed, feeling jealous, and then sat up and looked out of the window, which thankfully, was right next to his bed.

The sun was rising, exposing the crisscrossing roads and huts of the fishing village, which was just beginning to come alive. 

Laughter and yells rang out across the water as people got ready for the day, setting up stalls or shops or heading out in little boats to catch fish.

He felt a pang of homesickness in his gut. It reminded him of his home in the South Pole, which made him think of his grandmother, father, and sister…

Suddenly, he noticed a shape on the horizon. A black smudge that got steadily larger and larger.

When it came into view, his jaw dropped.

It was a ship. A colossal, massive, gigantic, ship. Bigger than any vessel he’d ever seen before.

It had two golden dragons on the front, and it was a myriad of colours. Red, green, blue, and white. The colours of the four nations.

“Sokka?” A voice slurred.

Sokka grinned at his friend. “Zuko, you gotta see this! There’s a massive ship in the harbour!”

“What?” Zuko frowned, blinking at him, and then rubbing his eyes. “Give me a few seconds. M’ just woke up.”

Sokka waited impatiently until Zuko finally slid out of bed and stumbled over to him.

The firebender glanced out of the window, then recoiled, eyes going impossibly wide.  

“It’s big, isn’t it?”

“Bigger than all of the ships in the Fire Nation navy.” Zuko murmured, leaning forward to take a closer look. “And I bet it’s bigger than all the ships in the Earth Nation and Water Tribe navies.”

“Maybe.” Sokka shrugged. “Remember, we’re in the future. For all we know, they could have invented space travel.” He said seriously. “There could be massive spaceships in the sky above us, flying all over…space!”

“I highly doubt that…” Zuko trailed off with a frown. “Sokka, there’s movement. Something is being lowered from the ship.” He squinted through the glass. “A rowboat…?”

There was a knock at the door.

Zuko swiftly turned around. “Come in.” He said.

Laika entered the room, frowning at them both. “Did something happen?”

“A ship just arrived.” Zuko explained.  

“A big one.” Sokka added minutely.

“Ah. So that’s why Tomo left. Bumi will be here soon.” Laika smiled. She grabbed a chair and sauntered over, sitting next to his cot. “Lean back. I need to examine your foot.”

“Umm, sure.”

She pulled back the covers, exposing his injured foot, and gently picked it up, turning it this way and that. She had removed Azula’s rudimentary splint the night before.

He couldn’t help but wince. His foot looked awful. It was all blotchy, ugly shades of black and blue. It also hurt like hell. Even her tender probing made him shiver and grit his teeth.

 “It’s badly swollen.” Laika said, opening her pouch and summoning some water. “We don’t have much time, but I’ll do my best. You really need a proper healing session.” She curled the water around her hands and started healing him.

He lay back and sighed in pleasure as her bending numbed the pain.

“Even with regular healing, it’ll take at least a week for the injury to heal enough for you to be able to walk again.” She explained. “After that, you’ll need to get plenty of rest and avoid strenuous exercise to recover properly. I’d still recommend that you get some exercise every day. Stretch your legs when you can.”

He groaned. “What if we got some water from the Spirit Oasis in the North Pole? My injury would be healed in seconds.”

She laughed. “It would. But I don’t think it’s a good use of sacred spirit water.”

“Why not? You guys have incredibly fast boats. It would only take a few days.”

“Well, if I didn’t have the responsibility of looking after my patients, I’d hop on a boat and get some for you.” She declared cheerfully. “Unfortunately, you’ll have to settle for regular water instead.” She healed him for a few more minutes, then withdrew. “The good news is, I found a proper splint for you. It’s made of soft leather.” She took it out of her bag. It looked like a small shoe with large straps.  

“Umm…” He coughed. “Before you put it on me, can you umm…help me with something personal?”

“Sure.” She understood immediately and offered him a hand. “Lean on me and I’ll take you to the bathroom.”

Zuko went slightly red and returned to the window.

Sokka took a deep breath and grabbed her hand. The sooner they got this over with, the better.

After he had tended to his bodily needs and Laika had put his new splint on, she helped him back into bed and eased his foot under the covers.

Zuko cleared his throat. “How is Azula?” He asked.

“She…” Laika hesitated for a moment. “…was in a lot of pain. She needed several hours of healing.”

“She did a lot of bending last night. For someone her age, that must’ve put a lot of strain on her body.”

“It did.” She said softly. “She told me what happened.”

“She killed the three firebenders that attacked us.” He frowned, eyes falling to the floor. “I’m not sure… that she needed to.

“I’m not surprised that she killed them. Whether or not she needed to…I don’t know, I wasn’t there. But I do know Azula. She probably saw it as self-defence. That she was doing something necessary to protect her family.”

“…” He gave her an unreadable look.

“You- the other you, comes here to see her often.” She sighed. “Well, as often as he can.”

“Let’s talk about something else.”

“Alright. Can I... can I just ask one sort-of sensitive question?”

“Sure.”

“The men that attacked you last night, were they really soldiers from the final battle of the Hundred Years War?”

“Yes. They served Fire Lord Ozai.” Sokka cut in.

Laika sucked in a deep breath. “Sorry. I need to ask another question. Do either of you have any idea how you got here?”  

They both shook their heads.

“The last thing I can remember is a bright white light, then, nothing.” Zuko said. “There’s a gap in my memories.”

“I don’t even remember the light.” Sokka muttered.

“Hmm. I wonder who else could’ve followed you here.” Laika mused, stroking her chin. “In fact, anyone involved in the final battle could be here. There could even be more Ozai-era Fire Nation soldiers somewhere out there.”

“When we woke up on the beach, we didn’t see any of them, just a lot of flaming debris.” Zuko grimaced and shuddered. “Well, any of them that were alive.”

She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. I’m sorry you had to see that. I’m sure the United Republic will send people over to clean up and give them a proper burial.”

“I hope we don’t run into any more of Ozai’s goons.” Sokka said with a scowl. “They’d try to fry us.”

“No one is going to let anything happen to you- “

There was a loud bang at the door.

“-let me get that.”

It was Tom-Tom. “How are they?” He asked.

“Zuko is fine.” Laika murmured. “Azula and Sokka, not so much. Ideally, I’d like to keep the two of them here for a few days, but if the Fire Lord wants to see them…”

“I’m sure we can wait a day or two.” He said. “Izumi would understand.”

“A day or two wouldn’t make much of a difference.” She confessed. “Sokka needs at least a week of solid care and Azula...” She sighed. “All this spirit trouble, it can’t wait, can it?”

“No.” He admitted. “Bumi wants to see them. Can I let him in?”

“Sure. Just tell him to be careful.”

Tom-Tom left. Laika shut the door and turned to them with a wistful expression. “Zuko, Sokka, you’d better brace yourselves.”

“For what?” Sokka quirked an eyebrow.

“You’ll see.”

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a man leapt into the room.  

He crowed with delight and then grinned maniacally, clapping his hands together as if he had just done the greatest thing ever.

Sokka was slightly taken aback but took the opportunity to study him closely. 

It was obvious from his complexion that he was Water Tribe. He had a weathered face, greasy brown hair, and pale blue eyes- eyes that were full of mirth and mischievousness.

It took him a few seconds to realise that they were the exact same shade as his own.   

“Bumi?” He murmured.

“That’s me!” Bumi cheered. He struck a pose, putting his hands on his hips. “Not what you were expecting, huh?”

“Uhhh…”

“It’s fine. It doesn’t matter.” Bumi waved him off, his grin evening out into a warm, very relieved, smile. “I’m so happy to see you!” His eyes quickly flickered to Zuko. “Both of you.”

“Erm…we’re happy to see you too?” Zuko ventured. “You’re Aang’s son?”

“His eldest son.” Bumi preened. “His best son.”

“That means you’re my nephew.” Sokka muttered, then slapped his forehead. “Gah! This is so weird!”

“Hey! It’s not as weird as seeing your uncle return as a kid.” Bumi countered. “Especially when he passed away almost ten years ago.”

“Good point.” Sokka conceded. “Although, appearing in a world slash future where another version of yourself died is weirder.”

“That is pretty weird. I can’t beat that.” Bumi laughed richly. “The best thing we can do is embrace the weirdness and enjoy it for what it is.”

“I agree.” Sokka couldn’t help but grin. He liked his sort-of-kinda nephew.

“Right.” Tom-Tom said, stepping in. “Now that introductions are over, we need to discuss when we’re going to depart. Sokka and Azula are still injured. So, I offered to give them a day or two to recover, but according to Laika, it’s apparently not enough time.”

“Well, I’ve got four hundred people waiting for orders.” Bumi clicked his teeth. “We can’t just stick around.”

“Four hundred!!” Sokka gasped.

“Oh yes.” Bumi said smugly. “Earthbenders, firebenders, waterbenders, and nonbenders all working together side-by-side on one ship! And the United Forces has dozens of em’!”

Sokka’s jaw fell further. “Whaaat! I wanna see!”

“I’d be very happy to give you an exclusive tour of the whole ship.” Bumi gave him a worried once-over. “That is, erm, if you’re well enough.”

“Just get me some crutches and I can hobble around.”

“Well, I suppose that settles the argument of whether we should leave or not.” Zuko said.

“It does.” Tom-Tom said, sounding relieved.

“Azula is still not well enough to leave.” Laika argued.

“I am well enough.” An indignant voice came from the doorway.

Everyone turned around.

Azula hobbled in. “Laika, I can do this.”

“Azula…”

“My house just burned down. And I’m not staying in the village.” She huffed. “Besides, I haven’t seen my niece in a while.”

“Azula.” Bumi said, nodding cordially at her.

“Bumi.” She nodded back. “How is my grandnephew?”

“Iroh is fine. He’s currently conducting joint military exercises with the Fire Nation navy.”

Zuko frowned and opened his mouth.

“Zuko, no.” She shook her head.

He closed his mouth and gave her a questioning look.

“Yes, Izumi called her son Iroh.” She said tiredly. “I’ll tell you about him and the rest of our family, later, okay?”

“Okay.” He muttered, crossing his arms and scowling at the floor.  

Sokka bit back a chuckle. At that moment, Zuko looked like his old grouchy self. He half expected him to start ranting about his honour and capturing the Avatar.

Azula turned back to Bumi. “I trust your ship is well staffed and you have a team of decent healers on board?”

“Of course.”

“Then, I’ll go with you.” She stood up straighter, body creaking. “It’s less than a day’s journey anyway.”

“Azula…” Laika paused and then smiled at her. “I could never stop you. You’ve always done exactly what you wanted to do.”

“Laika, this is a good thing.” Azula returned her smile. “I should’ve returned home a long time ago.”

“I’ll write you.”

“You’d better.”

“Right.” Tom-Tom chimed in. “If there’s nothing else to say, then I suggest we get going.”

“I have some old crutches Sokka can use.” Laika said. “They’re in the storage room.”

“Get them quickly.” Sokka urged her, grinning giddily. “I wanna see the ship.”

Bumi whooped loudly and leapt into the air. “This is gonna be great!”

Laika gave him an unamused glare and turned back to Sokka. “Tour the main deck and then go lie down. You need as rest much as possible.”  She narrowed her eyes at him. “I mean it. Don’t push yourself.”

“I won’t.” Sokka said glibly.

--

(He did.)

--

Chapter Text

“Aang! Aang!”

Someone was shaking him by the shoulders, yelling his name over and over again.

“Toph?” Aang asked groggily, sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

“It’s Katara.” Toph said, voice wobbling.

He blinked at her several times and frowned. “What is it? What happened?”

“She took off.”

“Took off?”

“She left.” She sniffed, wiping her nose, and took a deep breath. “She ran away on Tenzin’s bison, Oogi.”

“What? Why did she run away?”  

“The explosion?” She glared at him. “You didn’t hear it?”

“N-no. I was sleeping.” He admitted sheepishly.

“Twinkletoes…I thought something might’ve happened to you. That’s why I rushed over here.”

“Erm, thanks for checking on me.”

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, a flush of embarrassment creeping up her neck.

He gave her a comforting smile. “Toph, I’m sure Katara’s okay. She just went to help people. You know how she is.”

“Yeah, yeah. She’s a perfect princess.”

 “Why don’t tell me what happened?” He patted the mattress next to him.

She paused for a moment, mulling over his offer, then nodded, and sat down. She told him everything that had happened that morning, up until the chaos and terror caused by the explosion.

“Is everyone okay?” He asked. “Tenzin’s kids…”

“They’re okay. They’re with their mother. Everyone’s okay.” She said, sounding stronger. “The Air Acolytes are all one big happy family.” She scowled. “It makes me…I miss everyone we left behind.”

“Toph…”

She huffed and pulled him into a hug, embracing him tightly before releasing him a moment later. 

“Oof.” He rubbed his side. It hurt. She had really given him a good squeeze.

“So…when are you going to rejoin the living?” She teased him.

“Soon.” He said. “When I’m ready.”

“Well, you’d better be ready sooner than later. I’m getting so bored.” She grumbled. “I feel like a prisoner on this island. I want to visit the city! There’s so much to see!”

“Y-yeah…”

There was a knock at the door, and then someone hesitantly opened it and peered in.  It was a young girl. She blushed heavily when their eyes met.

Aang immediately knew who she was. One of Tenzin’s children. An airbender. His grandkid.

“Jinora! What are you doing here?” Toph admonished her.

“I-I just wanted to check if you were all right.” Jinora murmured, gripping the doorhandle tightly.

“I’m fine. But…” Toph said, glancing at him.

“It’s okay Toph.” Aang said quickly. “I’ll need to meet everyone eventually anyway.” He smiled at the younger airbender. “Hello Jinora! Please come in.”

“H-hello.” Jinora squeaked. “I…ummm…”

“Jinora, get in here.” Toph demanded. “There’s no need to freak out. Twinkletoes is about as threatening as a bumble fly.”

“Hey!” Aang glared at her with fake anger.

“It’s true.” She shrugged.

Jinora giggled, and then, very, very, slowly, slipped into the room and walked over to them.

“Well done.” Toph praised her.

“Th-thanks.” Jinora said, still blushing. “Aang, I-I have a l-lot of questions for you. I won’t ask too many now, b-but I have a few big ones.”

“That’s okay.” Aang said cheerfully. “I have questions for you too.”

“Just don’t ask him anything personal.” Toph warned. “Like about his massive crush on Katara.”

“Toooooph.”

Jinora giggled again. “That’s okay. I wasn’t going to ask about that.”

Aang coughed. “Can we please talk about something else. Anything else.”

Jinora smiled excitedly. “Oh, I know! Can you tell me about your very first adventure? When you woke up from the iceberg.” Her expression dimmed slightly. “If-if that’s okay?”

“It’s okay.” He assured her. “It’s one of my favourite memories. After a hundred years in the iceberg, waking up and seeing the world again was amazing. I met Sokka and Katara, went penguin sledding, and even met Zuko…well, technically, he kidnapped me, but considering that it eventually led to our friendship, I see it as a positive thing.”

She squealed loudly, making him recoil. “And then you escaped, reunited with Sokka and Katara, and set off on your journey to save the world!” She coughed. “Erm, sorry about that. Please, tell me what happened. From the beginning. In your own words.”

“S-sure.” He took a deep breath. “After waking up, the first thing I saw was Katara’s face…”

He recounted the whole story up to his escape from Zuko, how he had entered the Avatar state, and then with Sokka and Katara’s help, flew away on Appa.

“We returned to the village. I knew that I had to leave.” He explained.” If I stayed, then Zuko would’ve gone after the innocent villagers. I also had to fulfil my duty as the Avatar. Katara and Sokka agreed to go with me. Katara and I needed a waterbending teacher, and Sokka wanted to protect his sister. So, we gathered some supplies, climbed up on Appa, and flew off. Everyone in the village came to see us leave.” His tone became slightly sad as he related the parting.

She drank in every word, nodding along eagerly. “Thank you so much!” She exclaimed, clasping her hands together. “This is so cool!”

“I guess…” He trailed off with a sigh. “I just hope that Sokka and Zuko are okay.”

She gave him a worried look. “Don’t worry. Zuko is a master firebender, and Sokka is a master strategist. Together, they can solve anything.”

He nodded minutely, clasping the sheets. Unless, they’ve been left behind, and Toph, Katara, and I are the only ones here. I don’t know what’s worse. Part of me hopes they aren’t here, while another part hopes they are. They’re my friends and I want to see them again, but I also want them to be safe. He sighed. This is all so messed up. It’s like some bad dream that never ends…but I have to be strong. And positive. For my friends. He glanced at Jinora. And my family. He nodded in determination. The time for sitting around in bed and doing nothing is over. He pushed back the covers and stepped out of bed.

“Aang?” Toph asked, a note of concern in her voice.

“I need to get out of bed.” He said, bracing himself and trying to stand up, only to almost topple over from the effort.

“Woah.” She clambered off the bed and put an arm around him. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

Jinora paled, watching them with wide eyes.

“I am.” He leaned on Toph’s arm and tried to stand up again. Thankfully, with her support, he was able to get to his feet. “Jinora, can you go ahead and tell everyone that I’m coming?” He bit his cheek. “Actually…I just want to meet your family, no one else. If that’s okay?”

“Sure.” Jinora nodded. “I’ll tell them to meet you in front of the dorms.” She scurried off.

Toph smirked and nudged him with her elbow.  “Well, it looks like you’ve met your number one fan Twinkletoes.”

He groaned. “I hope her siblings aren’t as obsessed.”

They left his room and started walking down the hall.

“They aren’t. Jinora’s just a bookworm. She’s read all about our adventures.”

“Someone wrote about us?”

“’I’m sure there are hundreds of books about us.” She chuckled. “Maybe even thousands.”

He groaned again.

“To avoid being recognized, Tenzin said we’re going to need cover stories.”  

“Cover stories?” He frowned. “Like a fake identity?”

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I’m going to be the police chief’s niece. The boring, stuck-up, stern, police chief.”

“What about me?” He said, trying to change the subject.

“You’ll have to ask Tenzin about that.”

“O-okay.”

They reached the door. “Ready?” She asked.

“Ready.”

She kicked it open.

Outside, four people were waiting for them: Jinora, two other children, and a woman.

Immediately, the youngest girl, who he guessed must be Ikki, jumped up and down excitedly, before racing towards him on an air scooter and enveloping him in a tight hug. “Grandpa!” She exclaimed. “I’m so happy to meet you!”

Aang stiffened, not responding to her embrace. She airbended. She actually airbended. He took a deep breath and patted her on the head. “H-hey. I’m happy to meet you too.”

Jinora and others walked up to them. “Hello Aang.” The woman said, waving at him. “I’m Pema.” She glanced at the young boy next to her, who was frowning in confusion. “This is Meelo.”

“Hello Pema and Meelo.” Aang grinned at them.  

Ikki nudged him. He looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.

“Can we play together later?” She asked with hopeful eyes. “Do you know any ancient airbending games?”

“I do.” He laughed. “Just let me recover first. I don’t think I’m fit to do any bending.”

“Sure.” She nodded quickly. “Hey, is it true you’re not the Avatar anymore?”

His heart stopped. He opened and closed his mouth. Unable to say anything, he just nodded numbly.

“Ikki!” Her mother chastised her. While Jinora glared at her.

“What?” Ikki said, frowning. “It’s sad. I just wanted to make sure so that I could try and cheer him up.” She hugged him again. “Don’t worry! Things will get better.”

“Thank you.” He said, smiling uncomfortably.

Toph noticed his apprehension. “Ikki, please stand back.”

“What?” Ikki said. “Why?”

“Just do it.”

“Okay.” She stepped back slowly.

He relaxed, nodding at Toph. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” Ikki beamed. “I love giving hugs!”

“I don’t think he was thanking you.” Pema laughed, ruffling her daughter’s hair. 

“Mom! Stop it.” Ikki huffed and knocked away her hand.

Pema laughed again and then addressed Aang and Toph. “Aang, would you like to go somewhere quiet, somewhere we can talk and wait for Tenzin and Katara? I’ve cleared the dining room for you.”

“That would be nice, thank you.” He said, smiling at her.  

“Why does this strange boy have arrows like dad?” Meelo asked suddenly, pointing at him. “And why doesn’t he have a beard?”

“I’m too young to grow one.” Aang explained.

“So, you’re not even a man.” Meelo scrunched up his eyes and peered at him closely. “Only our family are airbenders, but I don’t recognize you.”

“Meelo, as I already explained, Aang is our grandpa.” Jinora said, voice pained.

“But he’s too young.” He shook his head. “Jinora you’re being dumb.”

She sighed. “I already explained this…”

“Wait!” He went bug-eyed. “Is he our brother? A secret older brother?”

“No…Meelo…No.”

“Is he here to replace you?”

“What?”

“Well, he’s a boy and you’re a girl.” He said flippantly. “Everyone knows boys are better than girls.”

She scowled at him.

He scowled back.

“Meelo, Jinora.” Pema stepped in-between her children. “Aang is our guest. He needs to be looked after. Fighting in front of him isn’t very polite, is it?”

“R-right. Sorry.” Jinora apologised. “I’ll umm…. go and get a table ready.” She sped off towards the main temple.

“Ikki, Meelo, go help your sister.” Pema said gently. “I need to have a quick word with Aang.”

Ikki frowned. “But why?”. Her mother gave her a look, and she nodded and left.

Meelo scurried up to Aang. “Don’t worry.” He whispered, patting him on the arm. “Your secret is safe with me, brother.” He turned on his heel and ran after his siblings.

“Sorry about them.” Pema said sheepishly. “The explosion freaked them out. It took me ages to calm them down. Then, Jinora told them you were coming, and they got so excited, they forget about being upset.”

“It’s okay.” Aang gave her a lopsided smile. “I’m just so happy to have finally met them.”

“Well, you won’t think that for long.” Pema joked.

“Hey, can we please get going? My arms are starting to ache.” Toph complained.

“Sure. This way.” Pema said, leading them across the island.

They made their way over to the dining room inside the temple. The three airbending children greeted them with excited waves.

They had set up a table and piled a chair high with cushions for him.  

Aang sighed happily as Toph helped him onto it.  It was very comfortable. “Thank you.” He smiled gratefully at them.

“You’re welcome!” Ikki said sincerely, while Jinora blushed, and Meelo puffed out his chest.

Everyone took their seats. Pema and Toph sat down next to him, while the children bickered over the closest remaining seat, until their mother told them to stop fighting and to let Jinora have it, resulting in Meelo and Ikki sitting at the other end of the table, to their immense frustration.

“So…umm…what do you want to do?” Jinora mumbled.

“I just want to talk.” Aang said. “I want to get to know all of you and learn about the future.”

“Ask us anything you want.” Pema said warmly.

Aang looked out across the city. Smoke was still curling over the docks. “What is the name of the bay?”

“Yue Bay.”

“Fitting…” His gaze fell to the floor. “I knew her.”

“Huh?” Ikki raised an eyebrow. “Who was Yue?”

“Princess Yue was the daughter of a Northern Water Tribe chieftain…” Jinora started lecturing before stopping and giving Aang an apologetic look. “Sorry. Do you want to talk about her?” She swallowed. “You, umm…you knew her after all.”

“Thank you, Jinora.” Aang smiled at her. “When I went to the Northern Water Tribe to find a waterbending teacher, Yue was the daughter of the chief. She’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. She…saved my life.” His smile became sad. “In fact, she saved the whole world when she became the new moon spirit.”

“Woah.” Ikki gasped. “I…I always thought that was just a bedtime story my dad told us. But it really happened.”

“Huh?” Meelo frowned. “I don’t understand anything. Why is the moon a girl?”

“It’s okay Meelo.” Pema soothed her youngest child, before smiling at Aang. “Do you have any other questions?”

Aang nodded. “Can you…” He took a deep breath. I need to ask. She’s…she’s my next life after all. “… please tell me about Korra?”

Everyone stared at him in surprise.

“All I know about her is that she’s seventeen and that she’s from the Southern Water Tribe.” He said. “But what is she like? Does she have good teachers? Does she have a family? And…does she have an animal companion?”

“Korra is AWESOME! She’s kind, funny, and very, very, strong!” Ikki exclaimed. “I don’t know about her teachers, but if they’re anything like dad, they must be great at teaching! And yes, she does have a family. She lives with her parents. Her animal companion is a polar bear dog named Naga!”

“She lives in the South Pole?” Aang asked, raising his eyebrows.

“She’s lived there her whole life.”

“That’s odd.” He frowned. “Usually, the Avatar travels the world and learns the four elements from the different nations. They need to learn how to connect with spirits and people. Roku did it. Kyoshi did it. Yangchen did it. Even I did it.”

“Something must’ve happened…” Toph said, locking eyes with Pema.

“Korra discovered that she was the Avatar when she was four.” Pema explained. “Right after…” She hesitated. “…the last Avatar died, the White Lotus started searching for his successor. They looked everywhere. The North Pole. The South Pole. Even the Foggy Swamp. There were lots of false leads and scams.”

“The White Lotus went public?” 

“Yes. After the end of the Hundred Years War.”

“Why?”

Pema shrugged. “I have no idea. I think they wanted to work more openly, protect the world until they could find the next Avatar and start training them.”

“Wait, Korra learned she was the Avatar when was four.” Aang’s jaw dropped. “I didn’t know I was the Avatar until I was twelve. And even then, I wasn’t ready at all. Korra must’ve been overwhelmed. I can’t imagine-”

“Oh no!” Ikki grinned. “Korra loooves being the Avatar!”

“She does?”

“Korra is very excited to finish her training and start helping the world.” Pema said. “Tenzin and I plan to move south for a few months so he can teach her airbending.”

“Why doesn’t she just come here?” Toph asked bluntly. “Wouldn’t it be more convenient for Tenzin? Isn’t he a member of the city council?”

“He is. But- “

-Boom-

Most of them jumped, while Ikki and Meelo burst into tears. Pema rushed to their side, trying desperately to calm them down.

“That was another explosion.” Jinora leapt up and ran to the windows. “It came from the docks.”

“It wasn’t as loud as the first one.” Toph observed.

“Katara’s there!” Aang stumbled to his feet, only to yelp and immediately fall back.  

“Aang!” Jinora called out, returning to the table.

“I’m okay.” He waved her away. “I need to help Katara. She could be hurt!”

“Aang, rushing off won’t do anyone any good.” Toph pointed out. “It’ll be chaos over there. We’d just get in the way.”

“You’re right.” Aang sighed. He had to do something. He couldn’t just sit there and be useless. He looked at the two younger airbender siblings.

Ikki was taking deep breaths, rubbing her red-rimmed eyes. She had just about managed to calm down, but Meelo was still sobbing in his mother’s arms.

“Hey Pema.” Aang asked quietly. “Can I help?”

Pema shook her head. “No, no. I have it all under control.”

At that moment, Meelo wailed loudly. “Momma, I’m scared.” He said, clinging to her.

“Meelo, it’s okay.” Pema rocked him. “It’s all okay.”

“Hey Meelo.” Aang said gently. “Do you want your secret brother to tell you a story?”

The little bald boy stared at him for a moment and then nodded tearfully.

“Aang, are you sure about this?” Pema asked, giving him a desperate look.

Aang nodded. “I am.”

Pema slid over and put Meelo in her lap. The airbender ignored her, he was too fixated on Aang, ready to hear his story.

“Meelo, do know what a flying lemur is?” Aang asked him sweetly.

“It’s a monkey that can fly.” Meelo said. “My dad told me about them.”

“Well, I’m friends with one.” Aang continued. “He’s called Momo. Do you want to hear Momo’s story?”

Meelo nodded again and craned his whole head forward.

Aang glanced at the rest of the table.

Ikki and Jinora were both listening intently, while Toph crossed her arms with a huff.

He grinned at her and then returned to Meelo. “Well, many years ago, Momo lived in the Southern Air Temple. He was all alone, until one day…”

“I don’t know where Momo is. He’s out there somewhere, looking for me.” Aang finished his story.

“I hope he finds you.” Ikki said.

“You just need to look for him.” Meelo declared, grinning toothily. “I’ll help you!”

“Meelo, Momo could be anywhere.” Jinora said, giving her brother an exasperated look.

“Aang just needs to put up posters.” Meelo said flippantly. “He’ll find Momo in no time!”

“I’m not sure that’d work.” Toph quipped. “It didn’t work last time.”

“Y-yeah…” Aang said, remembering their disastrous efforts to find Appa in Ba Sing Se.

Suddenly, two loud groans resounded throughout the temple.

“That was Appa!” He stood up with a cry. “I need to meet him!”

“Don’t push yourself Twinkletoes.” Toph warned. “Let me help you.”

They all rushed to the front of the temple.

Appa and Oogi had just started descending. After a few minutes, they landed in the centre of the main square. Tenzin disembarked first and then turned around to help Katara down from Appa’s saddle. 

“Daddy’s back!” Ikki squealed. Together, she and her siblings rushed forward to greet their father. They quickly swamped him, almost knocking him off his feet. Katara watched them with a tired smile.

“Kids wait!” Pema yelled, stumbling after them.  

“Katara!” Aang yelled jubilantly. “You’re okay!” He and Toph slowly approached the two bison.

“Aang?” Katara frowned at him in surprise. “What are you doing here? You should be resting.”

“I was worried about you!” He admitted. “And I can’t stay in bed forever. I wanted to meet everyone.”

“Well, I guess I can’t stop you.” She muttered in disapproval.

“Don’t be upset Katara. I won’t be up for long. I just want to see Appa and Tenzin and then I’ll go back to bed.”

“Okay…” She suddenly yawned.

“Are you all right?”

“Just tired.”

“What happened at the docks?”

“A lot.”

“Is that all?” Toph chastised her, half serious, half joking. “You really worried us. Please never run off like that again.”

Katara glared at her, narrowing her eyes. “I saved lives Toph. I’m not going to apologise for that.”

 “I’m not asking you to.” Toph said, huffing. “Just be more careful next time! Slow down and- “

“If I had slowed down, then more people would’ve died!”

“What’s wrong with you?” Toph shot back. “I don’t want to argue with you- “

“Well, it sure sounds like you are.” Katara muttered, getting defensive.

“Tch.” Toph rolled her eyes. “You can be so self-righteous sometimes Katara.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

Both girls glared at each other.

“Hey.” Aang interjected. “Please don’t argue. Not now.”

Katara bit her lip. “Sorry Aang.”

“Sorry Aang.” Toph repeated, slightly reluctantly.  

“Let’s go see Appa.”

Both girls nodded at him and helped him walk to his bison.

“Hey buddy.” He grinned.

Appa’s eyes went impossibly wide, and he stepped forward, nosing him desperately.

Aang smiled and carefully raised a hand, patting him on the snout. “Yes. I’m real buddy.”

Appa growled, opened his mouth, and licked all three of them from shoulder to shoulder.

Aang giggled, while Katara smiled, and Toph grimaced in disgust. “Appa, I need to rest now.” He said gently. “I’ll see you in a bit, okay?”

Appa fluttered his ears and nosed him again, refusing to budge.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Aang assured him. “And I promise you’ll see me soon. Go and meet the other bison.”

Appa didn’t move.

“Appa…Please…” This is already hard enough.

Appa groaned and, very, very, reluctantly rose into the air and followed Oogi back into the bison cave.

“Aang, is everything all right?” Tenzin said. He had an arm around Pema. Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo trudged behind them, heads together, whispering.

“Yeah.” Aang grinned at him. “I feel much better. I umm…I wanted to have a quick word with you if that’s okay?”

“Sure.” Tenzin nodded. “We can go the dining room and talk there. Pema was just telling me about your discussion.” He smiled gratefully. “Thanks for helping with Meelo.”

“I just told him a story.” Aang joked. Turning to Katara, he asked. “Do you want to join us?”

“Umm, I don’t think so.”

 “I think Katara should get some rest. She’s had a rough morning.” Tenzin said.

“I should.” Katara murmured in agreement.  

“The room next to Aang’s should be empty. Go and get some rest. I’ll look after Aang. You can rejoin him later.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s okay Katara. I’ll be okay.” Aang soothed her. 

She mouthed a “thanks” and headed for the dorms.

“Toph, I’ll help Aang.” Tenzin said.  “Can you please stay here with Pema and the kids?”

“Sure. I have nothing else to do.” Toph snarked, shrugging her shoulders.

Tenzin raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth, but Aang cut in before he could say anything. “Why don’t you show Tenzin’s kids some sandbending, or if you can find some metal, some metalbending?”

“Great idea.” She smirked. “Maybe I can even get them to spar! See if they can land a hit on me!”

Tenzin went very red, almost glaring at her. “W-what!?” He spluttered.

“Tenzin, I’m joking.” She said soothingly. “I like them. I won’t hurt them.”

“Oh.” Tenzin calmed down, his face almost returning to its usual pallor.

“Although, I might test their rock dodging skills.” She teased. “I can throw them really, really, fast.”

The reversal in Tenzin’s expression was impressive. He went even redder than before, unable to even speak with how angry he was.

“Toph, stop messing with him.” Aang admonished her gently.

“Okay, okay. I’ll just show them some nice sand sculptures instead.” She raised her free hand in a pacifying gesture.

 “If they get hurt…” Tenzin managed to mutter, a threatening look in his eyes.

“They won’t.” Aang said quickly. “I trust Toph.” He gave his friend a long look. “And besides, Pema will be there. She’ll keep an eye on things.”

“I’ll show them how to make a perfect model of Ba Sing Se in the sand!”

“Well, as long as you’re careful.” Tenzin conceded, taking a deep breath, and finally calming down. “It should be okay.”

“Great!” She whooped. She handed Aang over to him and then sped off, yelling for Tenzin’s kids to follow her.

All three of them cheered and ran towards the beach, closely followed by Pema.

Tenzin watched them go with a worried look on his face.

“Tenzin?” Aang nudged him. “Toph won’t hurt them. The worst she’ll do is throw sand at them.”

“I know.” The older airbender sighed. “To be honest with you, it’s not really my kids I’m worried about, it’s Pema.”

“Is she…?” Aang paused. “I mean…her stomach…”

“She’s pregnant.” Tenzin confirmed. “Six months along.”

“Oh.” Aang blushed. “Well, congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Tenzin murmured, steadying his grip around his shoulders. “Come on, let’s talk.”

They slowly made their way to the dining room and then sat down.

A few moments of awkward silence passed.

Tenzin scratched the back of his head. “Aang, I…” He trailed off, gazing into the distance with a forlorn expression.

Aang took a deep breath. “Tenzin, I understand that this is weird.”  He brought his hands together and twiddled his thumbs. “But…I… umm…the other me was your father, but I…I’m not him.”

“I know.” Tenzin said steadily, meeting his gaze. “That’s not the issue. The issue is…you’re a child.”

“I’m not that young.”

“You’re twelve.” Tenzin almost choked on the words. “Only a year older than Jinora. And you’ve been through so much. I never realised, just how much.”

 “Hey, I’m almost thirteen.” Aang joked, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Tenzin’s expression didn’t twitch. Instead, his gaze hardened, becoming more determined. “As you’re a child of the Air nation, it means that you’re my responsibility. I’ll look after you and get you home. No matter how long it takes.”

“You don’t have to worry about me.” Aang argued. “I can look after myself.”

“I do. And no, you can’t.” Tenzin shook his head. “The world has changed much since your time. The population has risen, technology has rapidly developed, and things are much more peaceful. If people realise that you’re Avatar Aang- well a child version of Avatar Aang, you’ll be mobbed wherever you go.”

“Toph told me…” Aang swallowed. “…that I’ll need a cover story.”

“Yes.” Tenzin sighed. “I’d though I’d try to keep you here for as long as possible, far from peering eyes, but after this morning, we’ll need to move quicker.”

“What happened at the docks?”  

“It’s a long story. But now’s not the time to tell it. All you need to know that Katara saved a lot of lives, including mine and Lin’s, but brought a lot of attention to herself.”

“Sounds bad.”

“By tomorrow morning, everyone in Republic City will know who she is. She’ll be on the front page of every newspaper.”

“Front page? Newspaper?”

“In your time, you had village bulletins. A place where people could post news or notices or other things.” Tenzin explained. “A newspaper is basically a smaller, portable version of that. When someone purchases a newspaper, the front page is the first thing that they see.

“Woah.”

“Katara saved the lives of a bunch of obstinate journalists. In gratitude, they’ll write about how heroic and courageous she is and how everyone should know her name.”

“She won’t like that.”

“She won’t.” Tenzin said gruffly. “But she can’t do anything about it. She’ll have to lie low for a while.” He huffed. “As for your cover story Aang, we’ll have to be very careful.”

“Why?” Aang frowned “Can’t I just wear a headband and hide my airbending? That’s what I did in the Fire Nation.”

“Do you want to hide your bending?” Tenzin asked bluntly. “Your tattoos?”

“No- “

“Then don’t. During wartime, in the Fire Nation, it made sense hide it. But here, in peacetime, you shouldn’t have to conceal it. Also, Republic City is a bustling metropolis. Someone would’ve noticed your real nationality sooner rather than later.”

“How about we just say I’m some drifter they found at one of the temples? An unknown airbender that appeared out of nowhere.”

“No. People will just think you were sent by the spirits, or something equally stupid.” Tenzin said, suddenly blushing. “Umm, I’ll have to…” He took a deep, rasping, breath.” …claim you as my illegitimate son.”

“What?”

“I know.” Tenzin cringed. “But umm, before I started dating Pema, I was unattached for a brief period of time. I can umm…” He coughed sharply, unable to continue.

“But won’t people be able to guess where I came from?” Aang said desperately. “Especially if my name is Aang and I’m an airbending master?”

“No. We can lie about your age. Change your name. Say that I’ve kept you hidden all your life and trained you in secret. Then, when you became a master airbender, I realised I needed to reveal your existence to the world. We can reveal the full truth after you’ve returned to your time.”

“All these lies…” Aang shuddered. “I don’t like lying.”

“I know. I feel the same.” Tenzin murmured. He tapped his hands against the table then brought them together. “But it’s our only choice.”

“What about Pema, and your other kids?”

“I’ll explain it to them. They’ll understand.”

“Meelo already thinks I’m his “secret brother”.”

“Really?” Tenzin said, a hint of wry amusement in his voice.

“I want to go back to my room…and never come back out.”

“Hey, it’s not as bad as that- “

-Woosh-

A great gust of wind rippled across the island, accompanied by faint giggles and cheers.

Tenzin grimaced, a disapproving glint in his eyes. “I hope Toph hasn’t started sparring with my children.”

“I think she just threw sand at them.” Aang laughed.

“I should break it up.” Tenzin muttered, standing up.

“Tenzin, don’t. Toph will be gentle with them. She’s been very bored these past few days. Let her- let them, have some fun.”

He sighed and sat back down. “You’re right. With everything that’s been going on, I’ve been freaking out too much.”

“Why don’t you bring me back to my room?” Aang suggested. “And then you can go check on your kids.”

“Yes. I also need to tell my mother about you. I can send her a telegraph.” Tenzin said, rubbing his eyes. “And Lin is telling her sister about Toph. She isn’t very happy about that.”

Right there’s another Katara and Toph out there somewhere… Aang took a deep breath. “Your mother…she lives in the South Pole, right?”

“She does. In Wolf Cove. Her childhood village. My sister lives nearby. She regularly checks in on her.” Tenzin frowned. “In fact, I haven’t seen her in years. I wonder how she’s doing?”

“You should send her a telegraph as well.” Aang smiled at him. “Reconnect with her. This is the perfect time to do it.”

“I’m not so sure about that. My siblings and I…we don’t get along all that well.”

“Why?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Tenzin crossed his arms with a huff.

It seems I struck a nerve. “Okay.” Aang acquiesced. “No need to get upset.”

His words seemed to irritate Tenzin further. “I should get you to bed. You’ve been up for far too long.” He swept to his feet and lifted him into his arms, before striding towards the dorms.

Aang didn’t argue with him. He feared that if he said anything else, it would just make him even angrier.

Thankfully, Tenzin mellowed out as they got closer to the dorms. His expression became contemplative, and his stride slowed. Aang hoped he was considering contacting his sister and reconnecting with her.

Tenzin tucked him into bed, and then stepped back, clasping and unclasping his hands. “See you soon Aang.” He said, then turned on his heel and left.

Aang leaned back and shut his eyes, deciding to take a nap.

He dreamed of a giant glowing kite.

Chapter Text

Sokka teetered from side to side as Bumi excitedly led him across the deck of the ship. He was running around like a little child, pointing at things, and explaining what they were in a rushed tone.

Sokka was struggling to keep up. His crutches kept skidding all over the place. However, due to his stubborn nature, he refused to give up. Zuko had gone with Azula to the medical bay. He had no desire to join them.

“Up there is the bridge.” Bumi pointed at the top of the ship. “It’s where I give orders and receive updates from different sections of the crew!”

“Can you please slow down?” Sokka called out.

Bumi was immediately at his side. “Do you want to go lie down? I can take you to the med bay?” He asked kindly, voice full of restrained excitement.

Sokka blinked. The med bay…where Azula was. “No thank you. Can you take me somewhere else? Maybe I just need to sit down?”

“Sure! Let’s go to the bridge!” Bumi crowed.

The older man half-supported, half-carried him up the stairs to the top of the ship.

The bridge was a large, crowded, room with lots of whirring and beeping consoles and other strange machinery. The only bit of tech that Sokka recognised was the large steering wheel in the centre of the room. People were either typing, manning their stations, or talking to one another in hushed whispers.

Bumi sat him down in a lumpy chair, put a box under his injured foot, then stood back and smiled at him as if he’d just done the greatest thing in the world. Sokka smiled back. It wasn’t very comfortable, but he held his tongue. He got the impression that Bumi was trying very hard and didn’t want to let him down.

Bumi grabbed a chair and sat down next to him, tapping his knees with both hands. “Sooooooo…”

“Umm.” Sokka pursed his lips, trying to think of a topic of conversation. “Those weapons on deck, what are they?”

“Oh! Those are for firebenders.” Bumi explained giddily. “They can firebend through the tubes and it concentrates their blasts into larger shots.”

“What weapons do waterbenders and earthbenders use?” I can’t imagine how earthbenders can fight in the middle of the ocean. Unless they’re the Avatar and can raise the ocean floor or something.

“I’m so glad you asked that.” Bumi beamed. “It’s something you- the other you- came up with!”

“Really??”

“Yeah!” Lemme show you something.” Bumi ran to the other side of the room, almost tripping over himself in excitement. He opened a cabinet, took out a large scroll, then returned and unfurled it in front of him. “Here are the original blueprints for this ship!”

Sokka peered at it closely. There were a lot of numbers and equations and little notes. The writing was so small it made his head hurt. But he rubbed his eyes and took another look.

There were numerous hatches with the Water Tribe symbol on the side of the ship, and slightly further up, larger metal domes with the Earth Kingdom emblem.  

“Oh, I understand. The hatches open so waterbenders can have direct access to the sea.” He nodded, then frowned. “But the domes…I don’t get it. What do the earthbenders use as a weapon, metal?”

“Oh no, not many earthbenders know how to metalbend.” Bumi shook his head. “It’s a closely guarded bending secret. No, they use large stone discs. It takes two earthbenders to launch one.”

“Seema kinda inefficient.” Sokka said. “What if you get attacked from the sky by airships?”

“Well, the firebenders can usually take em’ out.” Bumi said with a grin. “Airships are too slow for the fire blasts.”

“Even if someone designed a new airship that could fly much faster?”

“Err, I’m sure the engineers in R&D are thinking about that…”

“What if a dragon attacked the ship?”

“Sokka…”

“Okay, okay. I’ll stop messing around.” Sokka crossed his arms and huffed. “But it’s a genuine critique. If you’re attacked from the air by a fast enough opponent, two thirds of your weapons are useless. “He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “I bet I could design a way better weapons system. Something even nonbenders could use.”

“Oh, you should!” Bumi exclaimed, almost jumping out of his chair with joy.

“O-okay.” Sokka gave him a confused look, taken aback by his enthusiasm.

“You actually designed and drew up many of the original blueprints for the Republic City Navy!”

“Did my drawing skills improve?” Sokka asked hopefully.

Bumi bit his lip. “Erm…they became more legible? I mean- other people had to redraw them, but you came up with the original plans!”

Sokka pouted.

“Hey, I never learned how to draw.” Bumi tried to cheer him up. “And I love your art style!”

Sokka raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Oh yes. In fact, I still have several of your original drawings at home.”

“Really?”

“You gave them to me. When I was growing up.” Bumi smiled. “You would draw little scenes from your adventures, or portraits of family life.”

“Hah. I bet you’re my only fan.”

“Far from it.” Bumi glanced around the room, gazing at each of his officers. “If anyone here knew who you are- who you really are, they would be fawning over you. I had to lie to them and say that you and Zuko were just two strays we picked up.”

“Make sense.”

“I did tell them that your name was Sookoka though.”

“What?” Sokka seethed. “That’s such a dumb name!”

“Hey, it’s the best one I could come up with at such short notice.” Bumi whispered, looking affronted. “Zuko’s isn’t much better.” There was a pregnant pause. “I told them his name was Zakko.”

Sokka giggled and then clamped a hand over his mouth. “Okay, I forgive you. “Zakko” is much more embarrassing than my dumb cover name.”

Bumi laughed with him, then took a deep breath and became serious. “If you have any questions, about anything, feel free to ask.”

“Erm…” Sokka swallowed. I want to ask about the life of the other Sokka. But will I ruin my own future if I do?  I should ask about something safe, something that won’t spoil my future. “…Azula?”

“What about her?”

“What do you think of her?”

“I met her several times when I was growing up. She was always very reclusive. Quiet.” Bumi said nonchalantly. “I know it’s hard to believe but she’s done a lot for the Fire Nation over the years. She saved her brother’s life several times.”

“She did?” Sokka’s eyes went wide until they were bulging out of their sockets.

Bumi chuckled. “I could tell you some stories about her?”

“No thanks.” Sokka shook his head. “What about your family- your siblings? What are they like?”

Bumi leaned back in his chair and grinned nostalgically. “Kya is awesome. I miss her. I haven’t seen her in a while, though we do regularly exchange letters. She lives at the South Pole with Mom.”

“And Tenzin?”

 “He’s fine.”

“Just “fine”?”

“Yeah.” Bumi muttered, scowling at the floor.  

He’s hiding something. Sokka thought. He must not have a good relationship with his younger brother. How can I get him to open up? He decided to change tactics. “Is he boring?”

“Huh?”

“When Aang was telling us about his life at the Southern Air Temple, he mentioned that a lot of the older monks were rather boring and stuffy.” Sokka said carefully. “All they wanted to do was meditate all day study Airbender philosophy and history. Is Tenzin like that?”

“Tenzin is even more boring than them. He loves lecturing you and telling you how important being an airbender is.” Bumi’s expression darkened. “And he never keeps in touch with us, only Mom. And if you reach out to him, he doesn’t always respond.”

“Isn’t he a councillor in Republic City? That sounds like a pretty busy job.”

“That’s no excuse!” Bumi muttered angrily. “I’m a Navy Commander, and I always keep in touch with my sister and mom.”

“Woah, woah.” Sokka put a hand on his arm. “Easy.”

Bumi took a deep breath and forced a smile on his face. “Sorry for getting worked up. Just talking about Tenzin really grinds my gears.”

“No need to apologise.” Sokka said. “Let’s move on. Aside from military stuff, what do you do as a navy commander?”

“Oh, lots of different things.” Bumi explained. “I participate in rescue operations. Hunt down pirates and criminals. Work with other nations. My job takes me everywhere. Sometimes I sail to the other side of the world.” He smirked and poked his nose. “I also take part in some pretty super-secret special operations. Real hush-hush stuff.”

 “What sorta super-secret special operations?”

“I can’t tell you. Because they are super-secret and special.”

“Not even a hint?”

“Wellll…” Bumi chuckled. “Hypothetically, let’s say the captain of a ship decides to desert his post and go rogue. He’s piloting a first-class battleship. The pride of the fleet.”

“Okay.”

“Unfortunately for him, he’s in the middle of our territorial waters- the part of the ocean that belongs to the United Republic of Nations. To get away, he has to get to international waters, which is about a hundred or so miles away.”

Sokka gave him a confused look.

“We can’t catch him there because according to international treaties, we don’t control those parts of the ocean. They are free territory.”

“Okay.” Sokka nodded, still not really understanding. “How did the authorities catch him?”

“Well, after the guy abruptly left his post, naval command quickly realised what was going on. They only had a few hours to catch him. A first-class battleship is fast. So they radioed another ship to cut him off. Guess who was the lucky guy?” Bumi said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

“You?”

“Yeah!”

“Okay, how did you catch him?”

“Wellll, it’s a very long story.”

“I’m all ears.” Sokka gestured at his injured leg. “It’s not like I have anything better to do.”

Bumi grinned at him and started talking.

He told the story of a daring naval chase and then a prolonged battle, how he had snuck onboard the other ship with a team of waterbenders, taking down the rogue captain through a combination of skills and sheer luck.

“There were only five of us.” Bumi said dramatically, throwing his hands into the air. “We pushed through the heat of battle, riding an ice platform through the waves, and snuck onboard the other ship.” 

He paused.

“We didn’t waste any time. We rushed to the bridge. The waterbenders took care of everyone else while I fought the captain one on one.” He started punching left and right. “We fought with our fists, knives, whatever was on hand! After we had taken control, we broadcasted a surrender and stopped the ship. A mutiny quickly broke out. It turned out that a lot of the men didn’t share their captain’s views and were just waiting for an opportunity to stop following him. We ended up in another huge fight, but we won! The ship was ours!”

“Woah.”

“Impressive, right?”

“It is. Do you have any more stories?”

“Loads!” Bumi said cheerfully. “I can tell you about that time a friend of mine was put on trial in a small town in the Earth Kingdom, and he narrowly escaped conviction with my help.”

“Tell me.”

Bumi regaled him with stories, telling him about pirate hunts, diplomatic incidents, and other adventures.

Hours passed. Someone brought them some sandwiches for lunch, but Bumi kept talking.

Sokka was entranced. It was so riveting, that he was able to ignore the growing pain in his injured leg.

Everyone now and then someone would interrupt them and ask Bumi a question. He would either wave them away or bark a short order.

“…it almost caused a provincial war in the Earth Kingdom.” Bumi finished his tale with a smile. “All because one governor had insulted another governor’s wife. And to think, if we hadn’t stopped to refuel at that one particular port, then a lot of people would’ve died.”

Sokka laughed, then frowned. Something was missing in Bumi’s stories. “What about the Avatar? Shouldn’t they be helping you?”

“Korra still hasn’t finished her training. She’s in the South Pole at the moment.”

“Korra?” Sokka was confused for a moment, then smacked himself on the forehead. “Oh. Right. She’s the new Avatar. Your Aang is dead.”

“Dad passed away seventeen years ago.” Bumi said sadly. “Heart failure.”

“Seventeen years…” Sokka scrunched up his face. “Let’s see, I’m seventy years in the future…seventy minus seventeen is fifty-three. Twelve plus fifty-three is sixty-five.” He paled. “Why did Aang die so young?”

“We think it had something to do with his stint in the iceberg.” Bumi said listlessly, shuffling his feet and gripping his chair tightly. “It sapped some of his life energy or spirit or something. Lowered his lifespan by decades.”

Sokka swallowed. “My poor sister.” He mentally slapped himself. “Uhh…I mean, your poor mother.”

“Mom took it hard. Kya moved back home to look after her.”

“Korra…did Katara teach her?”

“Yep.” Bumi’s smile reappeared. “Two Avatars. Mom is a heck of a waterbender. She’s so dedicated, she even moved into the compound.”

“Compound??” Sokka’s mouth fell open.

“Yeah…” Bumi looked around, then gave him an oddly serious look. “What I’m about to tell you, don’t breathe a word of it to anyone, okay? It’s classified information.”

“Erm, okay.”

“Fourteen years ago, a group of terrorists tried to kidnap the Avatar. The other you helped stop them. The terrorists were all imprisoned in various elaborate prisons, far, far, away from each other. They were called the Red Lotus.”

“Like an evil version of the White Lotus?”

“Exactly.” Bumi nodded in approval, eyes shining. “Because of that, security around the Avatar was tightened considerably. The White Lotus built a compound in a remote location in the South Pole. Korra has spent her whole life there, learning the first three elements.” He scratched the back of his head. “Now, I know what you’re gonna say, the Avatar needs to travel around the world, etcetera. But you need to understand just how precarious the situation was. At the time, only a few people within the White Lotus knew the Avatar’s location. The fact that she was almost kidnapped…means the Red Lotus has spies everywhere, even deep within the White Lotus.”

“I understand.” Sokka frowned. “I guess I’m just struggling to understand why. Why would anyone want to kidnap the Avatar…as a child?”

“I have no idea. But whatever their reason was, I’m sure it wasn’t a pleasant one.” Bumi said darkly. “We don’t know much about the Red Lotus, only that they have spies everywhere. Therefore, important information is kept on a need-to-know basis in the White Lotus. There are lots of things even I don’t know.”

“Hrrm.” Sokka leaned back, then suddenly hissed in pain. His injured foot felt like it was on fire.

“Let me take you to the med bay.” Bumi said, standing up.

“Wait! Wait!” Sokka panicked, flailing his arms around. “Can’t I stay here?”

“I don’t think so.” Bumi smirked. “You need rest. Remember what Laika said.”

“Yeah…but…” Sokka shut his mouth and sighed. There was no point in trying to argue. Bumi wasn’t going to take no for an answer.  

“Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle with you.” Bumi teased.  

There was a ringing noise from one of the consoles. One of the officers answered it, pressing a strange device to his ear. He nodded and then glanced at them. “Commander?” He said. “There’s a telegram for you. It just came through.”

“Tell the operator to wait. I need to take our guest to the med bay.” 

“It was marked urgent.”

“Who sent it?” Bumi gave him an irritated look.

 “Your sister.”

“Kya??” Bumi blinked in confusion, then strode over. “Please, vacate your seat.”

The officer nodded at him and then got out of the way.

Bumi sat down and picked up the strange device. “Operator, I’ll take the message directly. Yes, I’m not coming down.”

There was distant chatter from the other end. Slowly Bumi’s expression morphed from confusion to worry. “He what?” He raised his voice, then shook his head. “Don’t tell anyone else what you’ve just heard. Not a single word, understand?”

More chatter.

Bumi put down the device, grimacing deeply. Everyone in the bridge was staring at him.

“Bumi?” Sokka said. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ll tell you in a minute.” Bumi said slowly. “While I take you to the medical bay.”

“Umm, okay.” Sokka murmured, only to screech as Bumi suddenly scooped him up and threw him over his shoulder, putting his crutches under his other arm.

The older man sped off, still grimacing. He kept running until they were in an isolated corridor well below deck, then slowed down and started talking.  “That message was from my sister.”

“All the way from the South Pole?” Sokka gasped in awe.  

“Yeah.” Bumi huffed. “She received a telegram from Tenzin. He told her that younger versions of Mom, Dad, and Toph have appeared in Republic City.”

Sokka’s heart skipped a beat. “Katara is here!? And she’s safe?”

“Not quite…there was an explosion…”

“What!?”

“I’ll tell you on the way.”

“One second. Did she- your sister, mention Suki?” Sokka asked, almost pleading with him.

Bumi was silent for a moment. “No.”

Sokka deflated.

“Sokka, I’m sure she’s alright.” Bumi assured him. “Now, let’s get you to the infirmary. You can tell Zuko and Azula the good news and discuss Suki with them, all right?”

“All right…”

Chapter Text

The medical bay smelled strange. Clean. But way, way, too clean.

It’s probably because of some new cleaning substance they’ve invented here. Regular ol’ soap isn’t good enough anymore. Zuko sniffed and grimaced, then looked around the room.

It was much larger than Laika’s clinic, but way less hospitable. The walls were a drab grey, the furniture cold and metallic, and the lights were dim and flickering. It had about ten times as many beds, but most of them were empty. Aside from Azula, the only other patients were a sleeping man with his arm in a sling and a groaning woman clutching her stomach.

The staff consisted of five people: four healers and a doctor, who was a short, intrusive man in a white coat.

All of them were crowded around Azula’s bed, arguing about her condition as they treated her.

Zuko shuffled uncomfortably in his chair. He was both bored and irritated. But as bad as he felt, he knew Azula felt much worse. She had been asleep for most of the morning and early afternoon, and when she had finally woken up, the doctor and healers had swarmed her.

“I feel fine! Can you please stop poking and prodding me?” Azula suddenly snapped, making the people around her recoil and backpedal, almost tripping over themselves.

“Princess Azula- “The doctor reached out to her.

She smacked his hand away and scowled at him. “I no longer use that title. I renounced it years ago.”

“Erm, but- “

“Just leave.” Her words were like steel. She glared furiously at the healers, so intensely that it made them quiver. “All of you.”

The doctor squawked, then nodded, hurriedly waving at his subordinates to follow him. They went to treat the groaning woman, leaving him and Azula alone.

Azula grunted and lay back. “Right, we can finally talk.”

 “Only if you want to.” Zuko said, coughing nervously.

“Of course, I want to.” Azula rolled her eyes with a low laugh. “Do you want to?”

“Uhh, yes?” He mumbled, trying, and failing to meet her gaze.

“You’re being a scared little badgermole again.”

“What?” His head shot up and he frowned at her.

“Nothing.” Azula laughed again. “Now, let’s get talking, before I die of old age.”

“So, Iroh…”

“My grandnephew.”

“A-actually, I wanted to ask about our uncle.” Zuko stumbled over his words. “What happened to him?”

Azula sighed, her good mood vanishing. “He disappeared almost forty years ago.”

“And?” He gave her an expectant look.

“What?” She glared at him.

“Are you going to tell me more…?”

“No.” Azula said thinly, pressing her lips together. “Zuko, I know you miss him, but it’s a very painful, very personal memory for me. I-I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay.” He retreated. “Tell me about Iroh- your grandnephew.”

“Thanks.” She nodded at him, then cleared her throat and sat up. “Iroh, or rather Iroh II as everyone calls him, is Izumi’s son and only child. He’s the heir to the Fire Nation throne. He’s also Bumi’s superior officer. The head of the Republic City Navy.”

“Woah. He’s accomplished a lot.”

“He’s an extremely dedicated military man. Very disciplined. Very quiet. Some would call him boring, but he’s not. He just cares a lot about people” Azula smiled wistfully at him. “He reminds me of you.”

“Hah.” Zuko chuckled, feeling his cheeks light up. “And Izumi, what is she like?”

“She’s an amazing ruler. Before she ascended to the throne, she had a lot of experience in governance, from being one of your- the other you- main advisors.” Azula praised her. “I get along with her well. We have a similar sense of humour.”

“Oh.” Zuko murmured. “Do we have any other family members? Like a secret sibling?” He said in a half-hearted attempt at a joke.

“You’re about to be very surprised…” Azula trailed off, an odd expression on her face.

“Azula?” Zuko raised an eyebrow. “I was joking. Unless…” He went pale. “Did Ozai escape prison and somehow have more children?”

“No. He didn’t.” She said quietly. “Mother did.”

“What?”

“It’s a very long story.” She admitted. “And I’m not sure if I should tell it.”

“Tell me.” He insisted. “Azula, I know it’s another painful memory for you. And I’m so sorry…but it’s our mother.”

She shook her head.

“Azula.” Zuko swallowed. “Is our mother…is she…still alive…?” He asked desperately.

“She died a long time ago.” Azula gave him a look full of pity. “I’m sorry.”

Zuko flinched, then took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. “How…how did we find her? Please tell me.” He gave her a desperate look. “Please”

“Okay, Zuko. I will.” She huffed. “It started a few years after the war…”

Azula told him everything. From their mother’s past and her relationship with Ikem, to her marriage to Ozai, the murder of their grandfather, and then her escape and agreement with the Mother of Faces to hide her identity and memories.

“We actually met her before we knew it was her.” Azula said slowly. “While in hiding, she had a child with Ikem, a girl called Kiyi.”

Zuko exhaled. “Woah.” He hesitated for a moment, before continuing. “What is Kiyi like?”

“She’s in her mid-seventies.” Azula said. “She’s a recognized member of the Royal Family. She’s one of Izumi’s advisors and does a lot of charity work.” She smiled proudly. “She’s also a very talented firebender. She does art shows where she mixes firebending with different types of chemicals to produce different colours of flames.”

“Even blue?”

“She can’t produce them naturally. She uses a special mixture of alcohol and some kind of fuel to create them. Even then, the flames are rather light, not as deep as mine.”

“Ah.”

There was awkward silence for a few seconds.

Zuko sat back and cleared his throat. “So…what happened next?”

“We confronted the Mother of Faces and got our mother’s original face and memories back.” Azula finished tersely.

“Azula…”

“Zuko, this is very hard for me to talk about.” She clenched her hands into fists and gave him an anguished look. “Back then, I was in a bad place. I did so many terrible things. And I- “She took a deep breath. “And I regret so many of them.”

Zuko swallowed. I know the feeling. Very, very, well. “I know how you feel.” He said out loud. “How I treated Uncle…” He shuddered.

“I know you do.” Azula sighed. “Let’s…let’s not discuss this further. At least…not now. Give me some time, then I’ll be able to tell you more.”

“Okay.” Zuko said quickly. “Thanks for telling me what you told me. Why don’t we talk about something else? Like…” He wracked his brain and then grinned. “Like how ridiculous Tom-Tom looks in his Fire Sage robes.”

Despite herself, Azula tittered. “I’ve always thought those robes looked awful. Especially the shoulder pads.”

“And those hats.” He joined in her laughter. “It makes them look like crabs with pincers on their heads.”

Azula smiled. “Despite his choice in profession, Tom-Tom can be quite pleasant company.”

“Did he ever visit you on the island?”

“No. I haven’t seen him in years.”

 “Did you get many visitors?”

“Only the other you.” Azula murmured. “And not too often.”

“It seems I need to have a word with my other self.” He said, half-joking.

“Tch.” She chuckled sarcastically. “It was on my request.”

“Wha-?”

“Other you- he’s very busy. He flies all over the world, helping people and investigating things.” She put a hand through her grey hair. “Because of all the spirit shenanigans, he’s probably investigating a spiritual site somewhere. Like the Foggy Swamp. He can travel great distances by himself. He has one of the fastest modes of aerial transportation.”

“A sky bison?”

“No. He has a dragon called Druk.”

“Woah.” Zuko couldn’t help but whistle in awe.

“You’ve met the dragons.” Azula gave him an amused look. “You know how powerful they are.”

“Y-yeah.” He nodded weakly. “But I didn’t know I would ever actually earn the privilege to ride one. The last person to ride a dragon-at least back in my time- was Avatar Roku.”

“Our Great Grandfather.” She said sagely. “It must run in the family.”

“Being a dragon rider?”

“Nope. Being an awkward turtleduck.” 

Zuko went crimson, making her giggle.

“Hey, I just realised that I’m now technically older than you.” She giggled harder. “It means, for once, I’m the older sibling.”

“You’re old enough to be my grandma.” He muttered without thinking.

She smirked sharply at him. “Careful young whippersnapper.”

He sighed and crossed his arms. Her mockery was beginning to get irritating.

“Ah, there’s the brooding Zuko we all know and love.”

He scowled at her.

Suddenly, Bumi shoved the door open and sauntered in, carrying Sokka over his shoulder.

Zuko raised an eyebrow while Azula just frowned at them.

“Don’t ask.” Sokka muttered, as Bumi gently put him on the bed next to hers and then yelled for a healer to come and take a look at him.

After one had hurried over, Bumi came up to them. “I need to return to the bridge.” He said. “At our current speed, we'll arrive at Caldera City late this evening. We’ll anchor off the coast and disembark in the morning.” He glanced back at Sokka. “Sokka has some news to tell you. Now, he needs plenty of rest. Make sure he doesn’t get up. At all.” The last two words were delivered with surprising authority.

“Right.” Zuko said, nodding quickly. “I’ll make sure that he doesn’t move a muscle.”

“Of course, unless he needs to use the bathroom. But a healer can help him with that.” Bumi rambled, blushing slightly. “I need to umm, go and steer the ship or something.” He scampered out of the med bay.

It took a while for the healer to fully examine Sokka. Not because of his injury, but because he kept arguing with them. Eventually, they left in a huff after putting his splint back on.

“Sokka?” Zuko asked.  “What’s the news?”

“It’s pretty big.” Sokka murmured, clenching his hands together and staring at him with apprehension.

Zuko frowned. “What’s wr-“

“I need to rest Zuko.” Azula announced abruptly. “Go and chat with Sokka. You can tell me the “news” later.”

“Erm, okay.”

But Azula had already shut her eyes and turned away. Zuko huffed and went and sat on Sokka’s bed.

Sokka released a deep breath, all the tension draining from his body.

“What’s wrong?” Zuko finally asked.

“Nothing. It doesn’t matter.” Sokka smiled. “But guess what- Zuko! You’ll never believe this!” He whispered, very, very, quietly.

Zuko gave him an unamused look. “Sokka, I’m right here. You don’t need to whisper. Just get on with it and tell me the news.”

“It’s pretty secret.” Sokka put a finger to his mouth. “Bumi told me that I had to be very, very, careful when I told you.”

“Fine.” Zuko gave in and lowered his voice. “What is it?”

Sokka glanced around, and after making sure none of the medical staff were nearby, finally told him. “Katara, Aang, and Toph are here. They’re Republic City. They’re with Bumi’s brother, Tenzin.”

Zuko flinched. “T-they are?” He exclaimed.

“Zuko.” Sokka glared at him. “Shhhhh.”

“Sorry.” Zuko blushed. “Umm, are they safe?”

“Well, I think they are. I mean- at least Toph and Aang are. Katara was involved in an explosion of some kind, and now her cover is “blown”, whatever that means.” Sokka rambled. “But she’s safe. At least, that’s what Bumi told me.”

“Instead of getting mixed up, why don’t you just tell me everything from the beginning?”

“I didn’t get mixed up. There wasn’t much info. It was all second-hand, from Bumi’s sister Kya in the South Pole.”

“Wait- Bumi’s brother is in Republic City, but his sister is in the South Pole, and he got the info from her?” Zuko shook his head in confusion. “I don’t get it.”

“Oh, it’s because of how fast information travels here.” Sokka said. “I don’t understand the system myself. But it’s called a “telegraph”. Apparently, you can send a message across the world in a couple of minutes!”

Zuko blinked in surprise. “Another technological marvel.”

“Yeah, if there are any more of them, we’re going to start getting bored.” Sokka laughed.

“Zakko? Sookoka?” A voice said.

It was the doctor, hovering next to the bed with a clipboard and pen in his sweaty hands.

“That’s not my name.” Zuko said sharply.

“Isn’t it?” The doctor frowned at his clipboard. “It’s what Commander Bumi told us.”

Sokka started laughing uncontrollably. “Ignore him. He’s just messing with you. They’re the right names.”

Zuko stared at him for a moment, then rolled his eyes, deciding to play along. “Sorry. I misheard you. My name is Zakko. My father hated me as a child and wanted to give me an embarrassing name.”

“Yes, doc. My father also hated me.” Sokka cackled. “That’s why we’re friends.”

“We’re not friends.”

“We are!”

“Umm, o-okay.” The doctor stuttered nervously. “I erm…just wanted to check if everything was all right, but if there’s no issue, I’ll go.” He scuttled away.

“Well done, Zuko.” Sokka deadpanned. “Now that doctor probably thinks we’re insane.”

“Hey!” Zuko spat. “You were the one who started laughing uncontrollably.”

They glared at each other.

“The two of you do love bickering, don’t you?” Azula said suddenly, cranking open an eye and staring at them.

“You’re awake?” Sokka squawked.

“I was awake the whole time.” Azula revealed. “I just wanted to give the two of you some space. And a chance for you to stop freaking out.”

“I wasn’t freaking out!”

“Well, you are now.”

“Only because I’m afraid that you’re going to burn me to a crisp!”

“Sokka, you aren’t a threat.”

“Neither were those two men you killed.” Sokka shot back.

Azula glared at him with all her might, her eyes narrowing into slits. “They almost burnt down my house and killed us all!”

“So, it gave you the right to kill them?”

“I- “

“Azula, Sokka, quit it.” Zuko cut in. “There’s no point in arguing. What’s done is done.” He took a deep breath. “We won’t be together for much longer anyway.”

“Thank goodness for that.” Sokka muttered and turned away.

“Yeah…thank goodness…” Azula grumbled and did the same.

Zuko glanced between them and sighed.  

It was going to be a long, long, day.

Chapter Text

Lin stood awkwardly to one side as Tarrlok and Tenzin argued. The other three councillors just stared at them, matching expressions of dumb concern on their faces. 

“It’s only been a day Tarrlok!” Tenzin thumped his fist against the table. “We shouldn’t take any drastic measures!”

“People are panicking Tenzin.” Tarrlok said carefully, although there was a thin veneer of disapproval in his voice. “We need to take action. Especially with the police- “

“Don’t you dare begrudge Chief Beifong’s conduct!” Tenzin retorted. “She’s done everything she can!”

Lin couldn’t help but roll her eyes. The airbender was being melodramatic. Usually, he was the very picture of peace and tranquillity, but when he lost his temper, he really lost his temper. Considering their past relationship, she knew this better than anyone else. It made him overreact to the littlest thing. At that moment, he believed that he was standing up for her, defending her from Tarrlok.

She didn’t need his help. Not now. And never from Tarrlok. Especially when he wasn’t actually insulting her.

“I wasn’t.” Tarrlok bit back with a sneer. “What I was going to say before you interrupted me, was that, especially with the police having just started their investigation, it’ll take a while for answers to come to light. The public needs assurance now. My proposal, a short-term security plan, will soothe them and guarantee the safety of our city until things have calmed down.”

“But what you’re proposing is far too extreme.” Tenzin said, giving him an anguished look. “A complete ban on shipping, mandatory security checks for everyone entering the docks, and the power to inspect all boats without a warrant.”

“Tenzin, it’ll only be temporary. For a few days at most.” Tarrlok stressed. He rubbed the back of his head, pretending to be sheepish. “I do agree with you that the warrant suggestion was a step too far. I-I just want to protect the city. I’m sorry if I got caught up in my worries.” His voice was dripping with fake concern.

“Tarrlok, don’t be so hard on yourself. We’re all worried about the situation. We all want to keep the citizens of this city safe.” The Fire Nation representative said, smiling at him. “I don’t see any issues with the rest of your proposal.”

Tarrlok smiled graciously back at her, every inch a gentleman. Lin harrumphed. It was an astounding performance. He’d only pretended to be devastated so he could get his proposal passed.

Tenzin scowled, crossing his arms, and gave her a desperate look.

“Fine Tenzin. I’ll deal with this.” Lin muttered under her breath and stepped forward, clearing her throat to get everyone’s attention.

They all turned to her expectantly, even Tarrlok.

“Council, may I speak freely?”

“Sorry for holding you up Chief Beifong.” The Fire Nation rep said kindly. “Of course, you may. Please give us your full report.”

“First of all, I don’t believe a full ban on shipping is necessary.” Lin’s voice cut through the room. “We can keep most of the docks open. We’ll just have to reroute ships.”

Tarrlok’s face fell, while Tenzin emitted a relieved sigh.

“However, I agree with Tarrlok that stricter security measures are needed.” She said strongly. “We still don’t know how the explosion occurred. Someone may have smuggled in a bomb or explosive materials. So, I’ll set up the security checkpoints myself and select my best and most trustworthy officers for the job.”

Tenzin frowned. He didn’t know what to make of her words.

“Most prudent of you. Thank you, Chief Beifong.” Tarrlok nodded at her. There was a tremor of disagreement in his voice. “Are you sure that you have enough officers for the job? If not, I know an excellent private security company that can provide extra manpower. “

“Thank you for offering Tarrlok, but the force has more than enough men for the job.” Lin said curtly. “We’ll cover major points of entry and screen everyone who enters or exits the docks.” I’m not going to let you take control of any part of my city. If the council passes your security plan, then my officers are the ones who will enforce it, not your hired lackeys. She thought.

“That sounds like an excellent plan!” Tenzin finally caught on, giving her a big smile. “I’m ready to vote on this measure- of course after we hear the rest of the Chief’s report.”

“I have a lot to report.” Lin took a deep breath and got started. “First of all, we’ve been able to figure out where the explosion occurred: at the end of one of the piers, next to a cargo ship. Both were completely destroyed. Most of the crew died in the blast. As well as a fair number of dockworkers.” She huffed. “We’re still investigating why it occurred. The ship was carrying cargo from the Earth Kingdom. Mainly fuels, and materials, for various companies. Such as Cabbage Corp and Sato Industries, among others.”

She paused, letting the council absorb the information, and then continued.

“Witness reports are all over the place. Some are saying it was an accident, others a deliberate act of terrorism, and a few are even blaming the captain of the destroyed ship, saying he was a smuggler of illicit goods, and the explosion was caused by his incompetence. It’ll take time to get a clearer picture of what happened. We still haven’t questioned many of the injured. They are still in hospital. However, the doctors said we can speak to them in the next day or two.”

“Thank you for your report, Chief.” Tenzin said warmly. The other councillors mumbled their thanks.

Lin didn’t look at him, instead sweeping her gaze across the whole group. “Any questions?”

Tarrlok immediately raised his hand.

“Yes, Tarrlok?” She said, forcing herself to be polite.

“What about the second explosion?” He said steadily, eyes boring into hers.

Without skipping a beat, she replied. “It was a direct consequence of the first. We think it set another ship on fire. A smaller, older, vessel. Despite our best efforts to contain it, the fire spread to the engine room and ignited the fuel stored there. Thankfully, the second explosion was far weaker than the first. No one was killed or injured.”

“I heard it was all thanks to a certain, young, gifted waterbender.” Tarrlok quipped, gazing at Tenzin, who went very, very, red.

“Gifted Waterbender?” The Earth Kingdom representative asked, frowning.

“Yes. Tenzin’s guest.” Tarrlok smirked. “She was on the front page of several newspapers.”

“Oh, the blurry photo of the girl.” The rep nodded. “But how is Councilman Tenzin connected to her?”

“She was seen flying to the scene of the explosion on a sky bison.” Tarrlok explained. “She immediately leapt into action and saved several lives by healing burn victims, and then saved dozens more, among them our dear Police Chief and Air Nation Councilman, by shielding them from the second explosion.” He flashed Tenzin a dazzling grin. “I’d love to meet her.”

“Well, you can’t.” The Airbender snapped. “Because of all the press attention, she’s lying low.”

“Understandable.” Tarrlok said. “But when things die down, I’d still love to meet her.”

Tenzin crossed his arms and glared at him, silently fuming. In response, Tarrlok shrugged and then sneered.   

“I have a question.” The fire representative piped up, timidly raising her hand.

“Please, go ahead.” Lin said.

“I know that you did your best, Chief Beifong, but this disaster was the first of its kind in Republic City.” The woman sighed. “I believe that if we’d been better prepared for it, then there would’ve been far fewer casualties. Are you making preparations, in case anything like this ever happens again?”

“Yes.” Lin answered honestly. “We’re going to be forming a rapid response unit, devising disaster protocols for the whole city, and are brainstorming ways on how to educate citizens to respond to a similar disaster. If anything like this ever happens again, we’ll be prepared.”

“Good to hear. I’d like to have regular reports.” The representative nodded at her.

“Of course.” Lin eyed the other councillors. “Any other questions?”

After fielding a few lacklustre questions from the Southern Water Tribe and Earth Kingdom representatives, but none from Tenzin or Tarrlok, the security plan was passed, and a break was declared.

Lin shared a look with Tenzin and then strode out.

He met her in a deserted corridor a fair distance from the council room. “Have you heard the news?” He asked, frowning in concern.

“Lower your voice.” She whispered harshly.

“S-sorry.”

“Don’t apologise.” She inclined her head. “And no, what news?”

“Our new arrivals?” He pressed, wringing his hands under his cloak. “Younger versions of Zuko and Sokka have appeared in the Fire Nation.”

Lin stared at him for a few seconds, trying to figure out if he was being serious, or if this was just a poor attempt at a joke to lighten the mood. The last time he had done that was when they had just started dating. The stress of their first date had made him try and copy his wisecracking uncle. To disastrous results.

But there were no hints of humour in his panicked expression. He was telling the truth.  

She sighed and crossed her arms. “How did you get this information? Where are they?”

“They’re with Bumi. He’s the one who told me. He’s bringing them to see Izumi and then he’ll bring them here.”

“Izumi?” She frowned. “Why?”

“There’s been trouble at the spirit temples. Strange lights, the ground shaking, eerie whispers. He didn’t give me a full report. Authorities are still investigating. Even Zuko- the older Zuko, is investigating it. It was all kept very hush-hush until now.” Tenzin murmured, massaging his temples.

“Tenzin, calm down.” Lin said sharply.

“I’m worried about Korra.” He confessed. “She’s the bridge between our world and the spirit world. If there was trouble at the temples, something might’ve happened to her.”

“If something had happened to her, then the White Lotus would’ve contacted us.” She said with gruff assurance. “They wouldn’t leave us out of the loop.”

“True.” He said, biting his cheek. “But still…maybe something did happen, but they just didn’t feel it was important enough to tell us? You know how secretive they are.”

“Well, if it makes you feel better, just radio the compound, and demand answers from them. Be authoritative. You’re the Avatar’s airbending teacher, you care about her well-being, and you should be kept up to date on her condition.”

Tenzin swallowed and scratched the back of his head. “You’re right.” He stood up straighter and took a deep breath. “I’ll contact them later. Have you…have you had a chance to message your sister yet?”

“I have. I made sure to emphasise, several times, that her help was neither wanted nor needed.” She gloated, smirking at him. “I hope Suyin got the hint.”

“Lin…” He shook his head in disapproval. “You shouldn’t have done that. Suyin is very determined. She may come here and demand to see Toph.”

“Well, if she does, I’ll send her packing.” Lin scoffed. “Besides, you’re one to talk. Your sister is far more determined than mine.”

“Kya? But she wouldn’t be so reckless-”

“Tenzin, Aang is her father.” She said, giving him a pointed look. “She hasn’t seen him in years.”

“But he’s just a child- “

“Even so, she’s going to want to meet him.” Lin huffed. “We need to discuss other, more important, matters than potential interfering siblings. Like Katara’s actions yesterday. She really brought the heat on us. We need to figure out how we’re going to deal with the press. She can lie low on Air Temple Island for now, but some reporters may try to track her down.”

“I trust Kyando.” Tenzin said quickly. “He’s the boatman on the ferry. He wouldn’t let just anyone onboard.”

“Hrm. If you’re so certain, I won’t press it.” She pressed her lips into a thin line. “Now, is there anything else you wanted to talk about?”

“Yes.” He said. “When can Katara and I check out the warehouse?”

Lin chewed her cheek, mulling over the question. “Tomorrow. The area is still under heavy surveillance. I need to set up regular patrols to prevent looters from breaking in. There are lots of valuable materials lying around.”

“One last thing.” Tenzin took a deep breath. “Tarrlok has spies in the police.”

“I know that.” She muttered. “He’s had eyes in the force for years. I have several suspects, but I’ve never been able to pin down exactly which officers are his informants.”

“I think he has a spy on Air Temple Island as well.” Tenzin continued. “He knew about Katara before the explosion. Someone told him about her. He thought she was Korra.”

“He thought you had smuggled the Avatar into the city, right under his nose.” Lin snorted. “He’s so self-important. As for your spy…do you doubt any of your acolytes?”

“No.” He shook his head vehemently. “I just…I don’t know who it could be.”

“Well, I wouldn’t worry about it. He didn’t get much info. Only that you had a “waterbender” staying with you… “Lin trailed off, furrowing her brow.  

“Lin?” Tenzin peered at her with worry. “What’s wrong?”

“The spy is the boatman. Kyando.” Her eyes snapped to his. “If it wasn’t one of your acolytes, then it’s him. I suggest firing him and replacing him as quickly as possible.”

“What? How can you possibly know that?” Tenzin recoiled, blinking at her in confusion.

“He was on the boat with Toph and I.” Lin said. “He saw her reunite with Katara. He didn’t know who she was, so he told Tarrlok she was just some waterbender instead of anyone specific.”

“That’s a lot to draw from one conversation. How can you be so sure?”

“Tenzin, I’m a cop.  I’m good at noticing things. Kyando is the only suspect that makes sense.”

“Well, I’ll think about it…”

“Am I interrupting?” A silky-smooth voice said.

“No, Tarrlok. You’re not.” Lin snapped, glaring at him. “In fact, I was just leaving.”

“Let me escort you out.” The Waterbender offered.

“I can escort myself out.” She said blithely, dismissing him with a wave.

“No problem.” Tarrlok withdrew, grinning vibrantly. “I need to talk to Councilman Tenzin anyway. About his famous guest.”

“Tarrlok, you can’t see her.” Tenzin scowled, clenching his jaw. “Don’t try to sneak onto Air Temple Island.”

“Tenzin, I’d never do that.” Tarrlok pouted and put a hand on his chest in mock hurt. “Can you at least tell me her name?”

“No.” Tenzin said sharply. “Why are you asking?”

“Oh, some people have been badgering me, wanting to know all about the “saviour of the docks”.”

“What people?”

“Friends of mine.”

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you Tarrlok, but I’m not going to tell you anything.”

“Come now Tenzin…”

Lin facepalmed as the two men resumed arguing, then sighed and stood between them. “Shouldn’t the two of you get back to the council room? The recess is almost over.”

Tarrlok frowned. “I don’t think so.”

“Thanks for reminding us Lin.” Tenzin said breezily, smiling at her. “Come on Tarrlok! We’d better get back or we’ll be late!” He rushed down the corridor before the waterbender could say anything. He was out of sight in seconds.

“Wha…?” Tarrlok blinked, looking around. “Where did he…?”

“I need to go as well. I have stuff to do.” Lin said. “Lots of police work.” She strutted off in the opposite direction.

Now alone, Tarrlok opened and closed his mouth, then scowled and punched the wall in anger, leaving a noticeable dent.

Chapter Text

At first, Zuko didn’t recognize the Fire Nation Capital.   

The city had exploded beyond the borders of the harbour. Tall, gleaming, buildings, jutted into the sky, so high that they almost reached the top of the volcano.

As for the harbour itself, it had also exploded in size. It was teeming with boats of all shapes and sizes. However, only one of them was as large as Bumi’s- another Republic Navy ship.

The sight was…overwhelming.

Bumi’s ship stopped at the end of the longest pier. Tom-Tom ushered them down the gangplank and into a large red satomobile. There were four seats in the back, two in two rows, and a spare seat next to the driver, a very nervous young man. Tom-Tom sat next to him, while Bumi and Azula took the second row, and he and Sokka took the third, or rather, Sokka awkwardly lay across the two seats, forcing his feet into Zuko’s lap. It was a tight fit. Neither of them were very happy about it. 

Tom-Tom winced apologetically. “Sokka and Zuko, I’m sorry. But this is the best available mode of transportation. No one uses palanquins or carriages anymore.”

“It’s fine.” Sokka said through gritted teeth. “The sooner we get going, the sooner we arrive at the palace.”

They drove through the harbour, only to suddenly end up in a row of slow-moving vehicles. There was lots of yelling and honking. It made Zuko’s head hurt.

After a few minutes, they drove into the city proper.

As glamorous as it looked from a distance, on a street level, it was filthy and chaotic. Countless people rushed in between the cars, causing even more honking and yells.

“Why aren’t we moving?” Sokka complained, gesturing at the chaos around them.

Tom-Tom turned his head and sighed. “We’re stuck in traffic.”

“This is slower than walking!”

“The streets weren’t built for Satomobiles.” Azula chimed in. “It shouldn’t take too long. The Imperial District isn’t that far.” She gave Zuko a tired look. “We’re lucky that we don’t live in the outskirts of the city.”

“If we were in a smaller vehicle, we’d be able to take a shortcut through the side streets.” Bumi muttered, crossing his arms. “Heck, even I’d be able to drive faster than this.”

“You’re a terrible driver.” Azula said pointedly.  “The last time I got into a vehicle with you, we almost drove off a cliff.”

“I’m a better driver than you. At least I actually have a licence.” Bumi said, smirking at her. 

“You don’t. It was revoked.” Azula laughed.

“That’s not true! “

“It is- “

“Can both of you just shut up?” Sokka snapped.

Bumi and Azula shared a glance, then nodded and looked away.

They drove the rest of the way in silence. Thankfully, after what seemed like ages, the streets did indeed open up and their driver swerved around several roads before coming to a stop at the bottom of the volcano. They were quickly waved through a guard outpost and then they were speeding up the mountain.

The road was quite bumpy. Sokka grumbled under his breath as they twisted and turned, muttering “dumb fire nation” and other insults.

They drove into the Caldera. Zuko blinked in surprise. The buildings were exactly the same. Even the Imperial Palace. It made his heart ache.

They entered the palace complex and drove up the main road. A whole retinue was waiting for them.

Zuko’s gaze was immediately drawn to four people at the top of the steps: a reserved young man, a stately middle-aged lady, an equally stately man of the same age beside her, and a much, much, older lady who gave them a cheerful wave and then ran to greet them as their Satomobile drew to a stop.

“SISTER!” The old lady squealed, clapping her hands together excitedly. Her robes were a bright red, and she wore several, even brighter, coral necklaces around her neck.   

“Hello, Kiyi.” Azula greeted her with a hesitant nod.

That’s…my sister. Zuko swallowed nervously.  She…she reminds me of my- our- they weren’t related…but Uncle would have seen her as a niece. His heart ached even more.

Kiyi met his gaze, and her smile widened. “Hello, Zuko.” Her eyes moved to Sokka. “And Sokka.”

“Hi, Kiyi.” Zuko forced himself to smile at her.

Sokka scowled childishly. “Hello Fire Lady.”

Kiyi giggled. “I’m not the Fire Lady! There isn’t one at the moment. It’s…complicated.”

“The hierarchy of the Fire nation makes no sense.”

“I agree.” Kiyi nodded. “Personally, I think we need to get rid of a lot more titles. Especially- “

“Dearest sister, before this conversation descends into another one of your political debates, can we please get out of the car?” Azula demanded. “My bones are aching.”

“Sure!” Kiyi chirruped and then rushed to help her.  

As everyone got out of the car, Zuko noticed that the rest of the royal family, and several attendants, had come down the steps.

The middle-aged lady radiated authority. She wore the Fire Lord headpiece in her grey-lack hair, and her red robe had a gold trim. She could only be Izumi. The daughter of the other Zuko.

Her husband wore far less ostentatious robes and had his hair up in a simple topknot, using a simple black band.

As for the young man next to them, who couldn’t be more than thirty, he too radiated authority, albeit in a much militaristic manner. His clothing was like Bumi’s, but somehow even more impressive. He stood up straight, expression neutral. He greeted Bumi with a sharp salute, and the older man immediately returned it.

“Hello, Iroh.” Bumi lowered his arm with a grin.

Iroh relaxed and smiled. “I hear you’ve brought us some distinguished guests. I am quite eager to meet them.”

Zuko recoiled. His voice. He sounds just like me. He really is the other Zuko’s grandson. He took a deep breath, strode forward, and stuck out his hand. “Hello, Iroh.”

Iroh shook it firmly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Prince Zuko.”

Zuko chuckled uneasily. “Well, I may not be a prince at the moment.”

“You are.” Iroh declared. “We’ll get you home. Now, my mother wishes to meet you.” He gazed back at his parents, who were both staring at them expectantly.

“S-sure.”

Iroh nodded, released his hand, and went to greet Azula.

Zuko took a deep breath, trying to contain his sudden anxiety as Izumi came towards him. She whispered something to her husband, and he smiled at her and stepped away to speak to Tom-Tom.

“Welcome to the Fire Nation of the future, Prince Zuko.” Izumi welcomed him graciously.

“A lot has changed.” Zuko murmured. “And not just the capital…”

“The role of Fire Lord has changed.” Izumi said. “It’s not as…powerful of a position as it once was.”

“Yeah…” Zuko looked around nervously. “Can I just ask…where’s the other me-the older version?”

“My father is currently investigating the spiritual disturbances. He was scouting the Earth Kingdom the last time I heard from him, heading to the swamp to see an old friend.”

“On his dragon.”

“Yes, Druk.” Izumi smiled. “He’s descended from Ran and Shaw.” Her expression became serious. “As much as I would like to chat further, I suggest we head inside. I have had rooms prepared for you all, as well as a meeting space for us to talk. Please follow.” She turned on her heel and swept up the steps. Most of the attendants hurried after her.  

That was abrupt. Zuko frowned, then sighed and went to help Sokka. He was already arguing with an attendant, jabbing them with one of his crutches and declaring that he didn’t need their help and could walk up the stairs alone.

After calming Sokka down, and getting him to accept their help, they followed everyone else up the steps and into the palace.

Zuko tried to ignore the remaining staff as they bowed to him. Some of them whispered frantically amongst themselves. They had no idea who he was.

Just like the exterior, the interior of the palace had changed very little. The only differences were that the oil lamps had been replaced with electric lighting, and some of the furniture had been updated to be more modern.  

After a long walk, they finally arrived at a large dining room.

Izumi sat at the head of the table, with her husband on her right, and Iroh on her left. The others shuffled into place. Zuko found himself sitting in between Iroh and Sokka. Bumi, Kiyi, Azula, and Tom-Tom, sat on the other side of the table.  

“Please, leave us.” Izumi told the servants.

They all bowed and shuffled out.

“I know you must all be very tired, but we need to discuss certain things.” Izumi announced. “Your arrival for one. Your presence here is very concerning.”

“Because of all the spiritual trouble?” Sokka said.

Izumi nodded. “Yes. Reports have been coming in from all over the world. About two days ago, all the Avatar temples experienced an influx of strange activity. All of them briefly lit up, but unlike the beam of light recorded with past Avatars, this light was chaotic and disorientating. There was also rumbling, as well as an eerie wind.” She frowned. “We’ve reached out to the White Lotus, but they’ve told us that the Avatar is fine and that we have nothing to worry about.”

“Where is the Avatar?” Zuko asked.

“She’s in a compound at the South Pole, finishing her elemental training.” Iroh explained. “It’s for her own safety.”

“Did something happen?”

“There was an…incident a few years after she was born. But it’s very classified information.”

“It’s fine. I understand the secrecy.” Zuko murmured. It must’ve been something terrible. He thought to himself.  

“Why don’t we move on?” Bumi cut in. “Such as address the fact that the arrival of Zuko, Sokka, and the others is probably connected to the spiritual trouble.”

“Yes. “Izumi adjusted her glasses with a short sigh. “Our scholars are doing research around the clock, searching for any similar incidents, but our archives only go back so far. We need a better source of information, like Wan Shi Tong’s Library, but it hasn’t been seen in the material world for decades. Even so…I doubt anything like this before has ever happened before.”

“I thought that was obvious.” Sokka deadpanned.

Izumi gave him an unamused look.

“One thing is clear: we need to get them back home.” Bumi declared. “Now, if all of you are as clueless as I am, then I bet it’s going to take a long, long, time. We need to come up with a plan to make sure that news about their arrival doesn’t leak to the wider world.”

“What about the explosion?” Zuko murmured. “Hasn’t that already blown our cover?”

“We can work around that.” Bumi said dismissively, waving a hand at him. “No. the thing we really need to worry about is Dad- I mean Aang. The past- your world, needs their Avatar back.”

“Especially if we have to rebuild it, after the war.” Zuko muttered tersely.

“You don’t have to worry about that now” Bumi gave him a comforting smile. “You just survived a major battle. You should take a breather and think about things.”

“Bumi…” Izumi furrowed her brow. “Shouldn’t we limit their access to our technology and knowledge of the future? It may change things- when they get back.”

“Why should we?” Bumi raised an eyebrow. “They’ll be here for a long time. They shouldn’t hide. Plus I bet my brother has already spilled everything to Katara and Aang.” He pouted. “You know him. He’s probably too stunned by them to think clearly.”

“Now, Bumi, don’t be so childish.” Kiyi chastised him gently.

Bumi grumbled and looked away.

“I do have to say, I agree with Bumi.” Kiyi said with a smile. “We shouldn’t hide them. We should send them to Tenzin, reunite them with their friends.”

“Of course.” Izumi agreed immediately. “We just need to be very careful. If people realise that Avatar Aang, or any of the old heroes have returned, they’ll be hounded. People won’t leave them alone, There’ll be a panic.”

“The more people that know a secret, the more likely it is to spread.” Kiyi said sagely.

“Well, they can leave for Republic City tomorrow.” Izumi said. “I’ll have a ship prepared for them. It’s a three-day-long journey.”

“Prepare a ship?” Sokka frowned. “I thought Bumi was going to take us on his ship?”

“Commander Bumi is needed here.” Izumi explained. “He’s going to help Iroh with the military exercises and inspect the Fire Nation fleet.” She bit her lip, hesitating for a moment. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry Sokka, you’ll see me around.” Bumi grinned at him. “As soon as I can, I’ll come and visit you in Republic City.”

Sokka pouted and crossed his arms. “You’d better.”

“If there’s nothing else to discuss, I’d like to get some rest.” Azula spoke up.

“Of course.” Izumi said.

“Let me walk you to your room sister!” Kiyi volunteered, offering an arm to her older sibling. “We can catch up along the way!”

Azula hesitated for a few moments, before nodding gruffly and taking it. “Thank you.”  

The two women left the room.

“Come on Zuko. I need to rest too.” Sokka said, standing up and leaning against the table. He glanced around the room and snickered. “Besides, I’m sure the adults have very boring adult business to discuss without us.”

“Oh, we do.” Bumi chuckled. “Like ship formations, military technology, and other boring things. Nothing that would interest you, I’m sure.”

“None of those things interest me at all. It all sounds very boring.” Sokka muttered, glaring at him.

Bumi chuckled again. “See you later! At dinner!”

“Just so you two know, here we use a gong to signal dinnertime.” Iroh added quickly. “When it sounds, you’ll have thirty minutes to get ready.”

“Thanks for telling us.” Zuko said. “See you then!” He got up and helped Sokka walk out.

A servant met them and escorted them upstairs, to a series of rooms in the guest wing of the palace.

“Your rooms are right next to each other.” The servant said, then bowed and scurried off.

Now that they were alone, Zuko gave his companion a worried look. They’d had a tough morning. “How are you faring Sokka?”

“Oh, just peachy.” Sokka snarked. “With my injury, and being stranded in the future, and everything.”

“Sokka...” Zuko trailed off and shook his head.

“Sorry, Zuko.” Sokka sighed. “I didn’t get much sleep on the ship. Because of Azula…”

“You and her…you argued quite badly with her yesterday.”

“She deserved it.” Sokka muttered. “She may have “saved our lives”, but she’s still insane.”

“Sokka, this Azula isn’t- “

“Spare me your lecturing, Zuko. I’m too tired for it.” Sokka murmured, shaking his head. “I just wanna sleep. See you at dinner…if I’m awake for it.”

“Sure, Sokka.” Zuko lowered his voice and stepped away.

Sokka went red. “Uhh, sorry. Can you please help me?” He tapped one of his crutches against the door of his room.

“Oh, sure.” Zuko rushed forward and opened it for him.

“Thanks.” Sokka didn’t meet his gaze and walked passed him. “See you around Zuko.”

“Sure.” Zuko shut the door and released a deep breath.

Well, that was awkward. He looked around the empty corridor. I have several hours to kill. What should I do now? He glanced at the door to his own room and shook his head. I don’t feel like sleeping. I…I want to walk around. Explore. Just not inside. Outside.

He headed for the gardens.

Unlike the rest of the palace, it had changed radically.

For one, there were a lot more trees and plants, and two, the turtleduck pond was bigger. Much, much, bigger. Instead of one family, there were now three families of ducks sharing the pond.  

Someone had arranged numerous benches around the water’s edge. He sat down on one of them and watched the ducks swim around, quacking happily. 

Time passed. Eventually, someone cleared their throat behind him.

Zuko looked over his shoulder.

It was Izumi. “Can I join you?” She asked with a smile.

“Sure.” He turned around and went back to staring at the ducks.

The Fire Lord sat down next to him. She put her hands in her lap and leaned forward, mirroring his position.

They sat in silence for a few moments, until Izumi suddenly laughed.

Zuko glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.

“It’s nothing.” She said, still laughing. “Just…my father and I used to sit here a lot.”

“Oh.” Zuko blinked. “Umm…” He scratched the back of his head. “I’m not surprised that the turtleduck pond is bigger.”

“It was one of the first things my father did when he became Fire Lord.”

“Yeah…” He glanced pensively at the quacking ducks. “How…how long have you been Fire Lord?”

Izumi smiled sadly. “For a few years…a year after my mother died.”

“Mai…”

“I miss her.” Izumi confessed. “A lot.”

“I miss her too.” Zuko said wistfully. “Well, my Mai.”

“You’ll see her again.”

“I hope I do.” Zuko said, squeezing his eyes shut. It hurt. He missed Mai so much. I was such an idiot for leaving that stupid letter and breaking up with her. And not telling her enough times just how much I loved her. And now she’s rotting in Boiling Rock Prison because of me. He opened his eyes and laughed hollowly. “Now I know what Aang felt like, after he woke up in that iceberg.”

“Zuko…” Izumi reached out towards him, then hesitated and pulled her arm back. “All of us- Tenzin, Bumi, myself, and the others, we’ll do everything we can to get you home. I promise.”

“It’ll just take a long, long, time.” Zuko muttered, recalling what Bumi had said at the meeting.

“Hey, if there are answers out there, we’ll find them.”

“For all we know, the information we need could be in some dusty tome, in a distant corner of some faraway library.”  Zuko snarked. “I bet it’s in a corner that no one has glanced at for hundreds- no, thousands of years. I’m sure we’ll find it. Eventually.”

Izumi frowned at him, then suddenly brightened up. “You know, you’re sounding a lot like Sokka right now.”

Zuko couldn’t help it, he chuckled.

“I remember, growing up, sometimes he would get so mad. Over the most trivial things. Like if anyone dared to criticise his drawing skills.” Izumi said, smirking lightly.

Zuko chuckled again, feeling better. “He does that.”

“Well, you’re going to be stuck with him on a boat for three days…” Izumi smiled. “You’re going to love Republic City. There’s a giant statue of you in front of the train station.”

Zuko grumbled. “I hope no one recognises me.” He frowned. “Didn’t I- the other me- found the city with your Aang?”.

“Not just the city, a whole new nation.”

“Woah.” Zuko took a deep breath. “I’m sorry to ruin the good mood, but…can I ask you an uncomfortable question?”

“Sure.”

“Did you…ever meet your grandfather?”

“A few times.” Izumi said. “By the end of his life, he was a sad skeleton of a man. The years in prison had taken their toll on him. Mentally and physically.”

“Did he ever…” Zuko swallowed. “…get his freedom?”

Izumi shook her head. “He never got out. Up until the end of his life, he never regretted the war. He always blamed the Avatar for stopping him and ruining all his plans.”

“Tch.” Zuko flinched. “Really?”

“Really.” Izumi said sadly. “But...” She shook her head. “No. I shouldn’t be telling you this.”

“Whatever it is, tell me.” Zuko demanded. “Please.”

“Zuko…

“Tell me.” He repeated.

Izumi nodded. “Very well. I believe…in my few meetings with him, I got the impression that Ozai…I believe that he did come to regret one thing.”

“What?”

“Mistreating you and Azula.”

Zuko froze, staring at her with wide eyes.

Izumi bit her lip. “Don’t mistake it for softness. He never tried patching things up with you. No… I think he believed that you’d never forgive him for all he’d done. He wanted you to make the first move and beg him for forgiveness.” She shuddered. “He…I can’t even begin to understand what he was thinking…”

“It doesn’t matter.” Zuko curled his hands into fists. “Fuck him. If I ever see him again, I’ll spit in his face.” His expression became dark. “No. Not even that. He’s dead to me. What I’ll do is lock him up and throw away the key. He’ll never see me again.”

Izumi went pale, eyes widening. It took him a moment to realise she was on the verge of tears.  “Zuko…You…you’re so young…”

“Hey, don’t cry.” He tried to awkwardly comfort her. “And I’m not that young. I’m sixteen.”

Izumi sucked in a deep breath, managing to pull herself together. “My father is eighty-seven. He’s in good shape for his age. But you’re seventy years younger than him, fifteen years younger than my own son.” She gave him a desperate look. “To have suffered so much, lived through what you’ve lived through...you’re too young.”

“I know. But it doesn’t matter. I still have so much to do.” Zuko said, staring at the turtleducks wistfully. “When I get back, I’ll have to rebuild my whole nation, and then help Aang rebuild the world. There’s no point in complaining. It is what it is.” He tensed. “My Uncle must be worried sick. I vanished. The Avatar vanished. Everyone at the final battle vanished.”

“Zuko- “

-Bong- -Bong-

It was the dinner gong. They had thirty minutes to get ready.

Izumi groaned. “At the worst possible time. I’m sorry Zuko, but I need to go get dressed. It’s a family affair, but- “She gestured at her robes, which had become slightly dishevelled. “I need to change into my evening wear.” Her expression was completely composed, there was no sign of the torment that had been there moments before. 

“Izumi…” Zuko said slowly.

Izumi sighed. “I’m sorry for falling apart Zuko. We can…discuss this all later. Just know…know that you’re not alone. Whatever happens…” She gave him a reassuring look. “…even if the worst should come to pass, I’ll look after you.”

“You don’t need to apologise.” Zuko insisted.

“…Thank you.” Izumi said regally. “Now, I suggest that you go back to your room and have a shower or a bath. There should also be some spare robes in your chest of drawers- if you want to wear them.”

“Shower, or bath, right.” Zuko nodded. “I’ll go and do that.” He paused. “How does that work?”

Izumi chuckled. “If you ask a servant, they’ll show you how the faucets work.” She paused. “As for Sokka, I think it’d be best to let him get some rest. His leg needs it. When he wakes up, if he wants food, I’ll have someone bring him something to eat.”

“Good idea.” Zuko said.

They shared a glance and then separated.

Zuko headed to the guest wing. Izumi to the royal wing.

Chapter Text

The sea was perfectly calm. Boats passed constantly back and forth, but none of them stopped at Air Temple Island.

Katara hugged herself and leaned against the gazebo. It was on the north side of the island. From it, she could see the entire horizon. She had been watching it for hours, but there was no sign of the boat carrying her brother and Zuko.

Tenzin’s children were too busy spending time with Aang. They’d troop in and out of his room or help him walk outside to enjoy the sun. Jinora, unsurprisingly, spent the most time with him, showing him books and scrolls they’d recovered from the Air Temples.

Katara gave them space. It was the first time in over a hundred years that Aang had met other airbenders.  He needed closure.  

As for Toph…well, Toph was still upset with her. Katara wanted to make amends, but she hardly ever saw her. Toph had taken to wandering the beaches, forests, and caves of the island in an effort to relieve her boredom.

“Katara!”

She blinked and whirled around. “Yes, Tenzin?”

The older airbender smiled at her, his grey-blue eyes crinkling with joy. “Are you ready?”

“I am.” Katara nodded quickly. “I’m ready to investigate the warehouse”

“We’ll fly directly to the docks. Lin is waiting for us.” Tenzin glanced around the gazebo. His smile became wistful. “I see we have the same favourite spot.”

“We do?” Katara raised an eyebrow.

“I often meditate here.” Tenzin explained. “It’s the only place where I truly feel at peace. Secluded from the world.”

“Well, if you want to meditate here, don’t let me get in the way.” Katara said kindly.

“Oh. You don’t need to move. Erm-” Tenzin cleared his throat. “Use it as much as you like. I’ll be very busy for the next few days anyway.”

“Right.” Katara chuckled, shaking her head. “Let’s get going.”

As they walked back to the temple, they passed many acolytes. All of them were huddled in little groups, heads close together, whispering about something in hushed tones.

Katara was curious about what they were discussing. She discovered what it was when they reached the main square of the temple.

Aang was cuddling with Oogi, completely unassisted, and Toph was watching him, arms crossed, with a smirk on her face.

Appa stood behind them, regarding Oogi with a jealous eye.  

Tenzin gazed at them for a moment, a conflicted look in his eyes, before clearing his throat and calling out. “Hello Toph. Hello Aang.”

“Hello, oldie.” Toph said flippantly, flashing him a grin. Her expression became tempered. “Hello, Katara.”

“Hi Toph.” Katara said simply.

Toph huffed and looked away.

They were disturbed by a loud giggle.

“No, Appa. Stop! I just gave you a big cuddle!” Aang said, still giggling. Appa had trundled up to him, nosed Oogi out of the way, and was now lathering him with kisses. In response, Oogi just flicked his ears, as if shrugging.

“N-no Appa. I need to go.” Aang tried futilely to bat Appa’s tongue away. “As soon as I’m better, I’ll take you for a ride.”

Appa stepped back and gave him a serious look.  

“I promise.” Aang said, putting a hand on his chest. “It’ll be just you and me.”

Appa grumbled and licked him again, before letting him step away.

Aang sauntered up to them, a massive grin on his face. “I can’t wait to meet the rest of the bison!” He exclaimed. “Katara told me all about them. You have a whole herd here!”

Tenzin bit his lip, then smiled warmly at him. “I’d love to introduce you to them.  Just a fair warning: they’ll probably try to smother you will love and Appa will get very jealous.”

“That’s okay.” Aang glanced at his bison, who was now exchanging low grumbles with Oogi. “I don’t think he’ll mind too much. Appa knows that he’s my favourite.”

“Are you well enough to return to the dorms on your own?” Toph asked. “I wanna wander around the island a bit.”

“If I’m careful, I’ll be able to get back.” Aang nodded. “Jinora is waiting for me. We’re going to talk about old Airbender legends.” He went red and smiled shyly at Katara.  “It’s umm…all thanks to you…that I’m able to walk at all.”

Katara felt herself blush. “No need to thank me Aang.”

Tenzin coughed. “Katara, I suggest we get going. We don’t want to leave Lin waiting. She can get…irritable if people are late.”

Katara blinked and took a deep breath. “Yes. We need to get to the warehouse.” Still blushing slightly, she waved goodbye to her friends. “I’ll see you later Aang, Toph.”

“See you later.” Aang replied. “Enjoy investigating.”

“Enjoy reading!”

Aang stumbled away, walking towards the dorms with a determined expression. Katara watched him go, feeling both worried and proud. She hoped nothing bad would happen while she was away. Physically, his injury wasn’t nearly as bad as when Azula had struck him with lightning, but spiritually…

He’s lost his connection to the Avatar spirit and other bending arts. It’s almost like a part of him has been torn away. Maybe we should take him to the spirit oasis? She bit her lip and frowned.

A sharp huff from Toph interrupted her thoughts.  “Right, well, I hope you have fun on your super-secret trip.”

“We’re not going to ‘have fun'. It’s an extremely serious task.” Tenzin declared.  

“I’m sure it is.” Toph retorted sarcastically.

Tenzin balked, then shook his head and hurried down the steps, beckoning to his bison.

Toph glared at his back and stuck her tongue out.

Katara paused, staring at her. She seems really upset. Maybe… “Toph, I’m sorry for rushing off and worrying you.” She swallowed. “And for lashing out at you afterwards.”

“Apology accepted, Katara.” Toph said stiffly. “You did what you had to do.”

“Toph, I- “

“Katara!” Tenzin yelled from Oogi’s back. “Are you coming?”

“One moment!” Katara said. “I’m just saying goodbye to Toph!”

“Well, hurry up!”

Toph shrugged and chuckled listlessly. “Woah. He sounds really upset. Welp, say your goodbye and get going. I have stuff to do.”

“Stuff?”

Toph looked away. “Yeah. I have to go and be bored somewhere.”

“Well, if you’re so bored, maybe you should…” Katara grinned. She’d just had an excellent idea. “Hey, why don’t you come with us?”

Toph’s face lit up. “Seriously? To be honest with you, I was planning on sneaking off the island and hitting the town, but this is way better! I get to annoy Lin!”

“I don’t think that’ll make Chief Beifong very happy.” Katara laughed. “And all we’re doing is investigating a warehouse. Nothing special.”

“I don’t care. If I get to leave this island, even for five minutes, I’ll be happy.” Toph grinned excitedly. “And don’t worry. I’ll try not to piss off the police chief too badly.” She whooped and rushed down the stairs, heading straight for Oogi.

Tenzin saw her and frowned, opening his mouth. Toph yelled at him that she was coming with them and that if he tried to stop her, she would earthbend Oogi into the ground.

Tenzin shut his jaw and seized the reins, fuming quietly. Toph clambered up onto Oogi’s back, laughing.

Katara chuckled under her breath and went to join them.  

--

The docks were eerily quiet. Now that everything had been cleared away, all the debris and bodies, Katara could see just how much damage the two explosions had done.

All that was left of the ship that had blown up was a pile of blackened metal. Lin’s officers had retrieved it from the water and were picking it apart on the shoreline.

As for the airship, even less of it had survived. Only small bits of red canvas and twisted metal. Despite herself, Katara was sickly relieved. No one would be able to figure out that it had come from the past.

Lin was waiting for them, watching her officers inspect the wreckage. She waved, only to scowl when she spotted Toph.

“Hello, Aunt!”  Toph yelled jovially as she tumbled off Oogi’s back.

“Niece.” Lin spat back. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here, considering all the damage you did the last time you ventured into the city.”

Toph shrugged. “Hey, I didn’t do that much damage.”

Lin went crimson. “You uprooted a whole street, destroyed a tram line, and sent tons of people to the hospital!”

“I didn’t kill anyone. I was very careful.” Toph countered. “Plus, you- and your officers- are metalbenders. It shouldn’t have taken that long to fix everything.”

“We have more important things to do. Like policing the streets.” Lin snapped.  “It’s not our job. There’s a government agency that- “

“Oh, I understand.” Toph scoffed in an over-the-top fashion. “It’s an excuse.”

“What?”

“You don’t want to admit that you’re a crummy metalbender. That fixing the street is beneath you.”

“That’s not what I was saying at all!” 

The two of them glared daggers at each other.

Tenzin sighed. “I see that some things never change.”

Katara raised an eyebrow at him.  

“Lin and her mother used to have tremendous arguments.” Tenzin explained. “Sometimes, they’d argue for hours.”

“Well, we don’t have hours.” Katara said, striding forward. “Hello Lin! Let’s head to the warehouse.”

Lin immediately snapped to attention. “In a few minutes. We’ve almost finished securing the area. Several of my officers are manning the perimeter while we secure the wreckage for transportation and inspection. “She huffed. “We’ve chased off a few random scavengers, but no criminals. I find it very suspicious. I was expecting the major triads to try something. Like, try to steal some goods.”

“Soooo, you’re saying there’s a possibility we’ll get to do some fighting.” Toph grinned, cracking her knuckles.

“I’ll be fighting and you’ll be standing a safe distance away.” Lin said sharply. “It’s my job to protect the people of this city and that includes you.”

“Yeah, right.” Toph snarked. “I bet I could defeat you in a fight. Easily.”

Lin sucked in a deep breath. Katara could see that it was taking all her willpower not to respond. “There’s no point in trying to reason with you. You’re a child.”

“Is that the best retort you can come up with?”

Lin ignored her and went to talk to Tenzin.

Toph muttered something under her breath and crossed her arms. Suddenly, she froze, a deep frown on her face.

“Toph, what’s wrong?” Katara asked, glancing around. No one was paying them any attention. She was the only one who had noticed Toph’s odd behaviour.

Toph’s frown deepened. “There’s something strange…someone…multiple people.” She suddenly swore and took off, running further into the docks.

Katara blinked, then flinched and rushed after her. It took everything she had to keep up. Toph was like a speeding arrow. She seemed to know exactly where she was going.

Someone yelled at them, but neither of them stopped.

Toph led her through the warehouses, on and on, until they ended up next to some very different buildings. They were made of plain stone, had black roofs, and were a few stories high.

Katara looked around. Aside from Toph, she couldn’t see another living being. No officers, or civilians, or anyone. They were alone.  

Toph stopped in front of one of the buildings.  

Katara skidded to a halt next to her. “Toph- “

Toph put a finger to her mouth. “Lower your voice.”

“Umm, okay.” Katara whispered. “What is it?”

Toph pointed at the building in front of them. “There’s a group of people in there. I think they’re looking for something.”

“How can you tell?”

“I sensed them arrive.” Toph pointed at her feet. “Somehow, they got into the docks and immediately ran to this building. Not sure how many of them there are. They were too far away to tell. Three or four.”

“What are they looking for?”

“I have no idea.”

Katara looked behind them. Lin and Tenzin were nowhere to be seen. She turned back. “Want to take them out?”

“Oh, yes.” Toph smirked. “Don’t worry. I’ll leave one for you.”

“You’d better.”

Together, they ran up to the front door of the building. It had been broken open. They peeked inside.

The floor was made of wood. It meant that Toph wouldn’t be able to detect whoever was inside.

“They must be on one of the upper floors.” Katara murmured.  

“We’ll just ambush them when they leave.” Toph said, putting a hand on the wall. “I’ll be able to hear them when they get closer to the door. In the meantime, let’s stay silent. I don’t want them to hear us.”

Katara nodded.

They took up places on either side of the door. Her on the right, Toph on the left. A minute later, Toph held up a finger and grinned.

Katara took a deep breath and pulled out her water, readying herself for combat. 

Three men emerged from the building. One red, one blue, and one green, aka one firebender, one waterbender, and one earthbender. Their arms were full of briefcases and various documents.  

Toph acted immediately, raising the earth and trapping the waterbender and firebender, causing them to yell in surprise and drop their stolen goods as the ground enveloped them.

At the same time, Katara whipped her water into a loop and threw it around the earthbender, freezing his arms and legs into place. He fell sideways, rolling around desperately.

“That was too easy.” Toph muttered in disappointment, crossing her arms and scowling at the men.

“Well, we did take them by surprise.” Katara said. “Now let’s- “

There was a blur. Another person leapt out of the building.

Katara could barely register what was happening. Dark Green. Earthbender. A black braid swinging through the air.

And-

Toph wouldn’t be able to see her.

“Toph! Watch out! “She yelled.

Toph inclined her head, eyes widening-

The girl struck the ground with both feet, causing it to crack and groan, freeing the trapped firebender and waterbender.  At the same moment, Toph swore and hurriedly kicked forward, making the earth ripple, rolling the still-trapped earthbender all the way down the street.

Immediately, there was chaos as everyone leapt into action.

The earthbender and the firebender rushed at Toph, throwing a barrage of fire and rocks at her. While the firebender was rather slow and clumsy, the girl moved quickly, never staying on her feet for too long. She moved more like a waterbender than an earthbender.

They encircled Toph, the earthbender on one side, the firebender on the other. To her credit, while they managed to force her back a few steps, she easily dodged all of their attacks and retaliated with some of her own, even redirecting some of the rocks the girl threw at her.

Meanwhile, Katara found herself squaring up against the waterbender. She didn’t have any water, there wasn’t any on the ground around them, but he did. He glared at her, then opened his pouch and flexed it into a large water whip, before throwing it recklessly at her. 

A big mistake.

She easily evaded his attack, curled the water around herself, and then threw it back at him, all in one fluid motion.

He didn’t even have time to react, only widening his eyes in shock before the water slammed into him and smashed him into the wall.

Katara used just enough force to knock him out, then froze him thoroughly in place, before drawing back as much water as she could and running to help Toph.

Only to find that, of course, the blind earthbender didn’t need her.

Toph had already taken out the firebender. He was lying far, far, on the other side of the street, sprawled on the ground unconscious. With him out of the way, it was now her versus the female earthbender.

“Stand back Katara!” Toph commanded with a growl. “This one’s mine!”

Katara swallowed and stepped back. She put her water away in her pouch and took a proper look at Toph’s opponent as the fight raged on.

The earthbender wore simple clothing; a ragged white shirt, a dark green jacket with long sleeves, dark green pants, held together by a fraying black belt, and small black shoes.

She was faster than Toph, but far less skilled. Toph was keeping her on her toes, preventing her from retaliating. Soon, she would tire and slow down.

Suddenly, the girl launched herself into the air, quick as a whip.

Toph calculated and moved her leg, preparing to throw a boulder at her to intercept her midair. 

In response, the girl jerked her arm back and then shot it forward.

There was a flash of light-

“Ugh!” Something hit Toph’s cheek, something fast. Her arms fell. The road fell. The girl landed.

“Toph!” Katara yelled, rushing towards her.

The girl took advantage of the pause in fighting and grabbed a suitcase, before making a break for it.

Katara cradled Toph’s chin and looked at her cheek, biting her lip. She was bleeding. There was a large gash from just under her eye, to the back of her head.

“Katara, I’m fine!” Toph snapped, shaking off her hand and putting pressure on the wound. “The girl- go after her, now.”

“But- “

“Go.”

Katara turned on her heel and sped after the girl. She was already well ahead, almost to the end of the street. If she was careful, she’d be able to catch up to her.

Katara opened her pouch and slowed down, pulling out her water, she lengthened it into a small spear, partly froze it, then leaned back and threw it at the girl.

It struck true, hitting her in the back and knocking her off her feet, causing her to drop the briefcase.

Katara increased speed. She only had a few seconds. She got close enough to the girl to retrieve her water, curling it around her right hand, just as she leapt to her feet.

The girl huffed and then kicked into the air, launching a barrage of sharp rocks at her.

Katara reacted just in time and sliced them in half by fashioning her water into a razor-sharp whip. Suddenly, the earth shifted below her feet, making her tense. She knew what the girl was trying to do, trap her the same way Toph had trapped the firebender and earthbender.

She looped her whip and threw it at her opponent, freezing it just as the ground rose and devoured her.

“Oof.” The girl grunted as the water hit her and then turned to ice, trapping her arms.

Katara swallowed. That’s not going to hold her for long. But it has to be enough- She took a deep breath. “LIN! TENZIN! HELP US! WE’RE OVER HERE!”

“Shut up!” The girl snapped. She kicked up behind her, raising a large rock out of the ground, and then jumped back and smashed her body into it, shattering the ice.    

Crap- Katara didn’t even have time to finish the mental swear.

There was a burst of air and a whir of cables

The girl was knocked off her feet and then her arms and legs were encased in metal wires. Two of Lin’s officers landed beside her, raising her body and then throwing it to the ground. Hard. The girl yelled in pain and then curled in on herself, refusing to look at anyone.

A moment later, Katara was freed from her earthy prison. Lin and Tenzin came rushing up to her.

“Katara!” Tenzin shouted, giving her a worried look. “What happened? Where’s Toph?”

“This way.” Katara said, steadying herself on a nearby wall. The abrupt retreat of the earth had left her disorientated. “She’s injured.”

“What?” Lin bristled. “Take us to her. Now.”

“...” Katara nodded, retrieved her water, and led them back down the street. She didn’t blame Lin for being angry.

Toph waved at them cheerfully as they approached her, putting pressure on her injured cheek with her other hand. She was still bleeding, albeit less deeply than before.

Lin grimaced, turning crimson with anger, then shook her head and scowled at Katara. “Heal her.”

Katara swallowed. The water I have isn’t that good for healing, but I’ll do my best. She managed to stop the bleeding but couldn’t stop the wound from scarring. In the end, there was a thin but still noticeable line across Toph's right cheek.

“I’ve done my best.” She said sadly, stepping back. “If I had better, purer, water, I might’ve been able to completely heal her wound. But as it stands…”

“Thanks, Katara!” Toph gave her a beaming smile, then chuckled at Lin. “Hey, now we both have face scars! It must be a family tradition!”

“How did you get injured?” Lin snapped.

“It was some kind of projectile.” Katara answered. “It was the girl. She used her bending. She had something under her sleeve -like a tube- and she used it to launch something at Toph.”

“If she used her bending, then it must’ve been something made of earth. Pretty clever.” Toph sighed and rubbed her injured cheek. “But it hurts. A lot.”

“We’ll interrogate her.” Lin vowed. “We’ll discover everything about her and her little team. I’m certain that they are Triad members. Likely Triple Threats.”

“Triple Threats?”

“The Triple Thread Triad. It’s a gang made up of earthbenders, firebenders, and waterbenders. They’re bending supremacists Aka scum.” Lin said venomously, then frowned. “But…how could they have gotten in? We were monitoring the perimeter-”

“I think one of your officers let them in.” Toph said bluntly.

“They wouldn’t have- “

“Lin, they may be criminals, but they- at least, their leaders, aren’t stupid.” Toph pointed out. “This whole thing was carefully planned. Down to a tee. They had someone on the inside.”

Lin scowled at her for a moment, then cursed and punched a nearby building. “I’m sick and tired of traitors in my force.”

“Traitors?” Katara frowned.

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.” Lin said angrily. “Now, take Toph back to Air Temple Island while Tenzin and I check out the warehouse.”

“Hey, I’m not going anywhere!” Toph declared, glaring at her. “I’m staying right here.”

Lin opened and closed her mouth, then sighed. “Fine. But don’t run off again.” She turned on her heel and stalked off. Tenzin hurried after her, brow furrowed in concern.

Toph and Katara exchanged a look, then shrugged and followed them.

Tenzin and Lin had a heated discussion all the way back to the warehouse. Their voices were low, too low to make out. But in Katara’s opinion, it seemed like Lin was raging about something-likely Toph’s injury- and Tenzin was trying to placate her.  

Katara averted her gaze and glanced at Toph. On the surface, the blind girl seemed nonchalant, hands behind her head and whistling a nonsensical tune, but Katara knew her. There was an edge to her gait.

“Toph, are you…? “

Toph didn’t even look at her. “Not now Katara.”

“…Okay.”

A squad was waiting for them at the warehouse.

“Chief, we checked it out while you were away.” An officer said. He went pale. “It’s quite a sight.”

“Just open the door.” Lin demanded. “Let me see it for myself”

The officer nodded and then yanked open the main door of the warehouse.

All of them peered in, only to freeze in the same moment.

Except one.

“What’s going on?” Toph said. “I’m blind, remember?”

“There are...burns everywhere.” Katara murmured. It was an inadequate description.

Long streaks of black crisscrossed the walls and floor of the warehouse. Some were even on the ceiling. Most of the shelves had been melted down.  

“Toph, there was a serious firefight here.” Tenzin said. “It was either a fight between several firebenders, or one very powerful firebender unleashing their full might.”

“But…who could’ve done this…” Katara bit her lip.

“Someone reckless.” Toph shook her head. “Like Zuko, before his character development.”

“You’re right.” Katara said, eyes going wide. “If anything, this is more like Azula.” She turned to Lin. “Does Azula-your Azula live in this city? Could she have done this?”

Lin chuckled mirthlessly. “Never. ‘Our’ Azula lives in the Fire Nation. And she’s much calmer than she used to be.”

“I find that *very* hard to believe.” Toph muttered

“Well, you’re going to have to believe it.”

“I don’t- “

“Why don’t we look around, and see if we can find any clues?” Tenzin cut them off.

“Good idea.” Katara backed him up.

They searched it from top to bottom but didn’t find anything. Until Tenzin noticed something.

“These are drag marks, not scorch marks.” He observed, pointing at some long marks at the back of the room.

Lin frowned and retracted her boot. Toph raised her leg. They struck the ground at the same moment.

“There’s a tunnel- “They both said in unison, then glared at each other.   

“Go ahead.” Toph offered. “You explain.”

“Thank you.” Lin said snidely. “There’s a tunnel under the warehouse. It…extends a long way down. But we can’t explore it. It’s blocked off by rubble. A lot of rubble.”

“Someone blew it up.” Toph chimed in, then laughed. “I’m sure if all of us- “she gestured at the officers around them- “earthbended together, we should be able to clear it out and root out whoever’s hiding down there.”

“Toph, there’s no point.”

“Now you’re just being silly- “

“No. You don’t get it.” Lin shook her head. “These tunnels extend all over the city. Whoever collapsed this tunnel is long gone.”

“Do you have a map of them?” Katara asked desperately.

Lin grimaced. “No. They change all the time. They started out as mining tunnels, then expanded into sewers, and exploded when criminal elements and rogue earthbenders moved in.”

“Let’s search the warehouse again.” Katara suggested. “There has to be something.”

“I don’t think so. Whoever it was has cleaned everything up.” Lin said. “Either a criminal gang…or…” She sighed. “I have no idea. No one owns this warehouse. It’s a rented space. And no one was renting it when the explosion happened.”

“What about the people we ambushed?” Katara pressed. “Could they have done this?”

“I don’t think it was them. This doesn’t fit the triad M.O.”

“Could it be…the new gang?” Tenzin said quietly.

Lin frowned. “Maybe. But if so…this is troubling. They shouldn’t be this powerful, this organized-”

“What new gang?” Toph interrupted.

“I’ll tell you about them later.” Tenzin said quickly. “When we’re alone.”

“You’d better.” Toph gave him a long look.

“I think we’re done here.” Lin said, sounding disappointed. “I’ll get an expert to take a look at the burns, but otherwise, I can’t do much.” She scowled at Tenzin. “You’d better take Katara and Toph back to Air Temple Island. Katara needs to heal Toph. Properly.”

“Lin, I’ve done everything I can- “Katara tried to argue.

The look Lin gave her was sharp enough to cut through steel.

Katara froze, voice dying in her throat.

“Hey, it wasn’t Katara’s fault that I got hurt, it was mine.” Toph snapped. “I was reckless. I told Katara to stand back and I underestimated my opponent.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’m blaming you both. Equally.” Lin muttered angrily.

Toph glared at her.

Tenzin put a comforting hand on Lin’s shoulder, but she shrugged it off, making him sigh. “C’mon Katara, Toph. I’ll take you back to Air Temple Island.”

“Yeah. Let’s get out of here.” Toph grumbled and turned away. “I don’t think I want to see my aunt again, for a long, long time.”

A flash of hurt crossed Lin’s face, but only for a moment, before her walls were back up.

Katara bit her lip but didn’t say anything.

The three of them returned to Oogi in sombre silence.

Once they were in the air, Tenzin took a deep breath and turned back to them. “Right. There’s something I need to tell you- about the new “gang” that Lin was talking about.”

“Who are they?” Katara asked.

“Yeah. I’d really like to know.” Toph said, leaning against Oogi’s saddle.

“Well, first of all, they aren’t really criminals.” Tenzin admitted. “They’re not really a gang, they’re more of a…movement.”

“Like a political movement?” Katara said. 

“Not quite…” Tenzin frowned, unconsciously gripping the reins tighter. “They’re called the ‘Equalists’. They appeared a few months ago. We don’t really know anything about them. Only what they believe in.”

“Lemme guess, they believe in ‘equality’. Toph deadpanned. “They want everyone to be equal.”

“Kind of.” Tenzin said. “They believe that bending is the ultimate inequality. That, for the world to truly be an equal place, everyone should be nonbenders.”

“That sounds like a load of ostrich horse shit.” Toph snorted.

“Toph! Language!” Tenzin admonished her, giving her a sharp look.

“You’re not my dad. Plus, your kids aren’t around.” Toph pointed out. “I’ll be careful around them, but when I’m not around them…I’m going to swear as much as I fucking want.”

Tenzin sighed. “Fine.”

“Thank you.” Toph smirked. “Now, where was I…oh yeah, I doubt that it’s even possible to remove someone’s bending. So, the whole equalist movement is built on an impossibility.”

“Well, it’s not impossible.” Tenzin murmured, scratching his beard. “My father…removed Ozai’s bending after he’d defeated him.”

Katara widened her eyes, while Toph started blinking rapidly. “What?” She said flatly.

“Because of what Aang went through, I didn’t want to mention it around him.” Tenzin winced. “My father learned it from a lion turtle. It’s called “Energybending”.”

“Aang went missing just before the final battle…”

“That’s when he met the lion turtle.” Tenzin said. “But removing someone’s bending is an Avatar-level skill. The equalists won’t- shouldn’t be able to do it.”

“So, if they can’t remove someone’s bending, how are they going to accomplish their goals of ‘equality’?” Toph emphasised the final word with a sneer. “Stage a coup, take over the city, and exile all of the benders? If they do that, then the other nations will respond. They won’t get very far.”

“They won’t.” Tenzin agreed. “But if they’re responsible for burying the tunnel in the warehouse, they’re much better organised and equipped than Lin and I thought.”

“Hrm. Well, it seems Lin has a lot on her plate.” Toph cackled.

“She cares a lot for the city. You should give her more credit.”

“I don’t doubt that Tenzin, but she still has a massive stick up her ass.”.

Tenzin gave her an uncomfortable look, as did Katara a moment later.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry for being so crass.” Toph said flippantly. “Anyways, back to the equalists, even if they do figure out a way to remove someone’s bending, the Avatar can just restore it, negating all of their efforts.”

“Korra’s training isn’t that advanced yet. She still has to learn airbending-”

“Then bring her here Tenzin and train her.” Toph muttered. “It’s not her fault she’s so behind. It’s yours, and the White Lotus’s.” 

Tenzin went red. “You don’t know anything.”

“I lived through a war. I saw Aang in action.” Toph retorted. “He saved so many people- I know how much the world needs the Avatar.”

“Will you just stop- “

“Toph, Tenzin, there’s a boat in the harbour.” Katara said, peeking over Oogi’s side. She perked up. “It must be Zuko and Sokka!”

“Hmm. They’re early.” Tenzin said, sounding doubtful.

“If it’s not them, then who else could it be?” Katara said, grinning excitedly.

As soon as they landed, she rolled off Oogi’s back and raced towards the harbour, ignoring Tenzin and Toph as they yelled at her to wait.

The boat was white, with blue waves painted across its sides.

Katara’s gait slowed as she approached it, steps becoming hesitant. That’s not a fire nation ship…that’s a water tribe ship. It can’t be Sokka and Zuko. So, who is it?

A woman was walking down the gangplank, carrying several bags. She had long grey hair, a worn, but kind face, and her eyes were the colour of the ocean. And her clothing…it was Water Tribe, but far, far, different than her own. Deeper colours, looser fabrics, and her necklace was a crescent moon instead of a full one.

Their eyes met as the woman stepped onto the island. They stared at one another in mutual confusion.  

Katara furrowed her brow. Her mind was racing, putting the pieces together, this woman could only be-

“Kya! What are you doing here?” Tenzin shouted, running up to them. Toph was hot on his heels.

“Mom was worried about you. She sent me here. To make sure you hadn’t gone insane.” Kya said, still staring at Katara.

“I’m not insane…why would you even think that?” Tenzin narrowed his eyes at her.  

Kya broke their shared gaze and huffed. “In your telegram, you claimed that child versions of Mom, Dad, and Toph had appeared in Republic City. I didn’t believe you, but-” She glanced between Toph and Katara. “-now I can see that you weren’t kidding.”

“I’d never joke about this!”

“Well, little brother, if I had telegraphed you out of the blue, claiming that Dad had returned from the dead, would you have believed me?”

“…” Tenzin crossed his arms and looked away.

“Would you have believed me?” Kya repeated.

“…no.”

“You, see?” Kya grinned nervously. “Now…where’s dad?”

“It’s not Dad.” Tenzin said strongly. “It’s Aang. He’s twelve. He’s no longer the Avatar. And he- it’s tough to explain, but he’s basically a version of Aang that arrived here when he was battling Ozai.” 

“What?” Kya paled. “How is that even possible…?”

“It’s a long story.”

“I see.” Kya cleared her throat, gaze sweeping across the three of them. She frowned, zeroing in on Toph’s cheek. “Why does Toph- this Toph, have a scar on her face?”

“It’s another long story- “

“I got it in a fight. Less than an hour ago.” Toph said with a smirk.  

“Oh? I’d be interested in hearing about that.” Kya said. “In fact, I want you to tell me about what’s been going on. Tenzin’s so boring. He’s no good at telling stories.”

“I’m not boring.” Tenzin whined.

“Do you have a lot of embarrassing stories about him?” Toph cut across him, continuing her conversation with Kya.

“Oh, yes.” Kya smiled. “And I’ll share them all with you.”

Tenzin sighed, covering his face with his hands, making the two of them laugh.

Katara frowned at them. “Kya, Toph, don’t gang up on him. It’s not very nice.”

Kya stopped laughing and went still, swallowing nervously. “Woah. Umm, sure Katara. I, umm…” She put a hand through her hair, laughing shakily. “I can’t believe that two versions of mom exist.”

Tenzin let his hands fall, hiding them beneath his cloak. His expression was pained. “Can we just…go inside?”

“I second that notion.” Kya nodded. “Besides, my bags are too heavy.”

The two siblings started walking towards the temple, not sharing a single word.

Toph’s smirk grew. “Well, that was awkward.”

“They’re siblings.” Katara said, trying to sound nonchalant. “Siblings argue. All the time.”

“Well, duh.” Toph elbowed her. “I bet that when you chastised Kya, you sounded just like her mom!”

“Toph…” Katara gave her an unamused look.

“Race you to the Temple!” Toph took off without a backwards glance.

Katara sighed and trotted after her.

Chapter Text

Zuko V

The flames changed colour, from red, to orange, and then a vibrant yellow. Then they changed shape, turning into a circle, then a heart, and then a long quivering line, cycling through all of the colours.

Zuko and Sokka were both entranced, watching the display with wide eyes.

Kiyi giggled. “This is nothing! These are just my basic forms!”

It was the next morning. They were due to depart for Republic City in less than an hour. Kiyi was showing them some firebending tricks before they left.  

The room was completely dark. All the windows were shuttered so no light could get in and ruin the show.

Kiyi drew back her hands, fluttering her fingers. The fire mimicked her movements, breaking down into smaller, twinkling flames.

“It’s firebending...but it’s so pretty” Sokka muttered.

“Yeah…” Zuko nodded absently.

“Well, it’s about to get much more pretty!” Kiyi smirked at them, dropping one hand and dismissing half of the flames.

Sokka pouted, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair.

Zuko stifled a laugh. Sokka was upset about fire, of all things.

Kiyi grabbed a handful of powder from one of the numerous jars around her. With her other hand, she drew the flames down from the ceiling and brought them all together into one big fire in the centre of the room.

Sokka tensed slightly. Now that the fire was much closer, he was getting uncomfortable.

Kiyi noticed and pushed them back until they were a few more meters away.

Sokka relaxed, giving her a grateful smile.

Kiyi smiled back at him and then threw the powder into the fire. It turned a vibrant, deep, green. Immediately, she started moving her hands in erratic but careful circles, looping the fire over and over. She put one hand in front of the other and sped up her movements. The fire started swooping and moving around like a snake. Two little eyes appeared at the top, and it hissed, a small flame emanating from its mouth.

Sokka’s jaw fell. He wordlessly exclaimed something, unable to articulate his amazement.

Zuko chuckled at him and started clapping.

“Don’t clap yet!” Kiyi shouted. “The finale is about to happen!”

“Oh.” Zuko said, hands falling. “I’ll, umm, wait.”

Kiyi huffed in amusement. Separating her hands, but still moving them, she quickly grabbed a big handful of powder from another jar and threw it directly into the fire.

The flames turned purple. Kiyi started moving her hands in careful, coordinated movements.

The flames transformed into a large creature. With wings and a long snout. A dragon.

The dragon roared, spouting flames, and then swallowed itself. Kiyi dissipated the fire with the same movement. Then she stumbled and grabbed onto a nearby table, breathing deeply. “It’s been a while since I’ve done that.” She said with a grin, cheeks flushed from the effort. “So, what do you guys think?”

Both of them burst into applause.

“It was amazing!” Sokka exclaimed. 

“Yeah, it was.” Zuko murmured. “What other colours can you create?”

“Oh, a myriad of them.” Kiyi said. “I used to do entire rainbows. But it required a rather elaborate setup.”

“You should come to Republic City and show Aang!” Sokka suggested excitedly. “He loves artsy bending like this!”

“I’d love to! I haven’t been to Republic City in years!” Kiyi beamed. “He- our Aang, was actually the one to encourage my art.”

“Have you ever visited the Sun Warriors?” Zuko asked, recalling his trip with Aang.  

“Yes.” Kiyi confirmed. “The dragon fire inspired me. Although I’ve never been able to produce the whirlwind of colours they created.” She cocked her head. “Maybe the Avatar can?”

“Avatar level bending is pretty amazing.” Sokka said. “I remember- “

There was a heavy knock at the door.

“Come in!” Kiyi yelled, standing up and straightening her clothing.

Azula entered the room and nodded at them. “I knew I’d find you all here. You never could resist an opportunity to show off, sister.”

“Hey Zula’.” Kiyi brightened up. “What’s up?”

“The ship is ready.” Azula said gruffly. “But before they go, I need to talk to Zuko.” Her eyes snapped to Sokka. “In private.”

“Sure.” Kiyi said. “C’mon Sokka.”

She helped Sokka to his feet. As they left, he gave Zuko a passing glance, eyes full of concern.

Azula watched them go, mouth tight.

“Azula, what do you need?” Zuko asked, giving her a concerned smile.

Azula sat down in Sokka’s vacant chair and winced. She still hadn’t fully recovered from her strenuous bending on the beach. “I need to tell you something.” She took a deep breath. “I know…that you’re conflicted about those two soldiers that I killed.”

“Azula…” Zuko cringed. He hadn’t thought about them. Not since he’d arrived in the Fire Nation. It filled him with guilt. After all, those soldiers had shared their fate and ended up in the future. They had loved ones waiting for them back home. And now, they would never be reunited.

“Don’t feel guilty Zuko.” Azula gave him a pointed look as if reading his mind. “It’s not your fault. It’s my fault.” She smiled sadly. “I want to tell you a story. It’s a long one, but I’ll do my best to abbreviate it.”

“Umm. Okay.”

“It all started seven years ago. Mai was still alive. You were still Fire Lord. Everything was peaceful.” Azula began, hugging herself. “Then, something terrible happened, I lost the person that I cared about the most in the whole wide world. My partner. My love. My everything.” She grimaced. “It was so sudden. Being here…it brings all those painful memories back.”

Zuko frowned. “Who did you lose?”

“She’s still alive in your world.”

Zuko wracked his brains, then recoiled. “Ty-Lee?”

Azula nodded sombrely.

“But…when…how??”

“That’s a story for another day.” Azula said remorsefully. “Maybe, if you stick around long enough, I’ll tell you.”

“S-sure.”

“Anyways, It…affected me.” Azula forced herself to continue. “Messed with my bending. I…I couldn’t control my fire. You were worried. Izumi was worried. Even Mai was worried.” She paused to take a breath. “The Royal Family and household went into mourning. Which is only supposed to happen upon the deaths of family members and spouses.” She sniffed. “But you… you insisted. Said Ty-Lee was a member of the family one hundred percent.”

That was the other Zuko, not me. Zuko thought, but he didn’t interrupt her.

“Ty-Lee had been your Head of Security. Under her watch, you were protected from many threats. Because of her passing, the position was vacant. Because everyone was in mourning, It’d take a few days to determine her successor. Someone-a group of assassins- took advantage of this.” Azula explained, voice shaky with emotion. “They’d been waiting for an opportunity. Somehow, they managed to sway one of the servants onto their side.” She grimaced. “They poisoned your food, not with something lethal, but with a slow- a very slow, acting sedative. Because of this, when the food taster didn’t immediately fall ill, the food was approved for your consumption.”

Azula paused and took a long, sharp breath.

“You got tired, assumed it was because of old age, and went to bed early. An assassin got into your room via the balcony. The guards didn’t see anything…and well, I don’t like to make excuses for them, but they were in deep mourning. They’d lost their beloved Head of Security. Ty-Lee was loved by everyone.” She said sadly. “I went to check on you, not because I had noticed anything was wrong, but because I wanted to talk to you. I walked in when the assassin was about to slit your throat. I stopped them. We fought.” Her expression became dark. “Because of my erratic bending, it was a long and difficult battle, but eventually, I killed them, burned them alive. Then, I revived you, roused the guards, and caught the servant.”

“Azula- “Zuko reached out to her.

Azula shook her head and batted away his hand. “Let me finish. Slowly but surely, I realised I didn’t want to be at court anymore. It reminded me too much of Ty-Lee. It was too painful.  I stayed for a few more months until Ty-Lee’s successor was settled, and then I approached you and told you I needed a break. I’d found a cottage on a remote island. You were worried about me but let me leave.” She spoke faster, the words came tumbling out. “I didn’t mean to stay away forever.  But I discovered that I liked the quiet and I didn’t feel ready to return. A year passed, then two. Mai died, but I still didn’t return.” Her face fell. “You visited me soon after. Said you finally understood what I went through, how I felt. You abdicated the throne and departed on your dragon, flying around the world and helping other nations. “She paled, clamping a hand over her mouth. “I’m so sorry Zuko. I…I didn’t mean to tell you so much.”

“It’s okay.” Zuko said quickly. “I guess I understand now, why you killed those soldiers.” He smiled gently at her. “You…you must’ve saved my life many times over the years.”

“Ty-Lee and I saved your life many times.” Azula admitted with a sad, nostalgic, smile. Her eyes were slightly red.

Zuko realised that she was holding back tears. He was silent for a few moments, mulling over her words. “If Sokka and I hadn’t ended up on the island, would you have ever returned to the capital?”

“I’d like to say yes, but I’d be giving myself too much credit.” Azula shook her head. “No. I’d have stayed on that island until I died. Alone and unloved.”

Zuko frowned. “Hey, don’t say that. The other me- your brother, would’ve kept visiting you. And I bet the rest of your family would’ve eventually checked up on you. You’re not unloved.”

Azula stared into the distance for a moment, then chuckled. “Trust you to remind me of that.” She rubbed her forehead. “Sorry for unloading on you.”

“It’s okay.” Zuko muttered.

“No, it’s not.” Azula glared softly at him. “You’re going through enough. You don’t need my baggage.”

I don’t. But I know you didn’t mean to burden me. So… “How about I unload on you in return?” He suggested. “Don’t worry. I won’t be as…thorough.”

“You have every right.” Azula said. “Go for it.”

“Izumi told me what happened to Ozai.”

“Ah, that bastard.” Azula laughed sardonically. “I have no regrets over what happened to him. After the whole business with our mother, I only ever visited him in prison once. I said goodbye to him, told him he was an awful father, and that he’d never see me again. All he did was scream at me.” She gave him a pointed look. “When you get home, lock him up and never let him out.”

“I-I was already planning on doing that.” Zuko winced, taken aback by the sheer ferocity and hatred in her voice. “But…okay.”

Azula’s expression softened. “Please continue, Zuko.”

Zuko swallowed.  “I’ve already talked to Izumi about this…but I feel so overwhelmed. Learning everything that I’ve learned here.” He put his hands together and stared at them. “I became Fire Lord. I led my country for over 60 years. I did so many things. I found my mother.” His voice choked up. “I want to help Aang rebuild the world. If I have to become Fire Lord…then I will. But I wish I just had some time to decide. For so long, it was just me and Uncle…and I thought I’d never return to the Fire Nation, let alone lead it. I…I miss Uncle and Mai.”

Azula hugged him. “I miss them too.”

He hugged her back wordlessly.

They stayed like that for a while, then separated.

“You’ll figure it all out Zuko. Whatever you choose…no one can take that choice from you.” Azula smiled wryly at him. “At least now you have some time.”

“Plenty of time.” Zuko said sarcastically. He sighed. “I wish I could send a message to Uncle, telling him I’m all right and doing everything I can to get back.”

“He’ll be okay Zuko.” Azula said. “He’ll hold things together until you return.” She stood up. “Now, I think I’ve held you up long enough. It’s time for you to go to Republic City and reunite with your friends.”

They left the room together. Sokka was waiting for them outside, leaning against the wall with his crutches. “You were in there for a long time.” He observed.

“Family business.” Zuko grinned at him.

“Did Azula get all teary-eyed?” Sokka asked, getting excited. “Was she ugly crying?”

Azula rolled her eyes. “No.”

Sokka laughed. “Don’t worry Azula. I’ll look after your little brother.”

“Oh, I’m not worried.” Azula smirked. “Zuko doesn’t need looking after, but you do.”

“W-what.” Sokka spluttered. “I’m not weak.”

“At the moment you are.”

“I’m not!”

“Riiight.”

Zuko eyed both of them warily. “She’s just teasing you Sokka. Ignore her.” He beckoned to his friend. “C’mon, everyone’s waiting for us.”

Sokka shut his jaw and glared at Azula.

Azula shrugged and turned to Zuko. “Tell Aang I said hi.” She walked away without another word. 

“Zuko- she- “Sokka went red.

“Don’t worry Sokka.” Zuko comforted him. “Let’s just focus on getting to the boat in one piece.”

Sokka nodded.

Together, they went to the front steps of the palace. Only the royal family and a few servants were there to see them off.  

“Where’s Bumi?” Sokka asked, looking around with a concerned expression.

“He couldn’t be here. There was an emergency on his ship.” Iroh said sombrely. “He told me to apologise to you.”

Sokka’s face fell. “He promised…”

“He did ask me to give you something.” Iroh waved at a nearby servant. They stepped forward, holding out a box. Iroh opened it and took out a bulky object.

Sokka perked up immediately. “Is that…?”

“It is.” Iroh smiled, unsheathing a sword. It had a long, straight blade that glinted keenly in the sunlight. “I’m afraid that it’s not made from a meteorite, but it’s a genuine antique. Made a few years after the end of the Hundred Years war. The highest level of Fire Nation craftsmanship.”

Zuko whistled in awe. He felt jealous. Even if he preferred using dual broadswords, the sword that Iroh was offering to Sokka was beautiful.

“Thank you.” Sokka said graciously, understanding the magnanimity of the gesture.

“You should thank Bumi. It came from his personal collection.”

“I will when I next see him.” Sokka nodded, giving the sword a longing look. “Whenever that is.”

Kiyi suddenly started giggling like a little schoolgirl, drawing everyone’s attention and making Sokka glare at her. Even Iroh gave her a look. “Sokka, it’s not you…” She shook her head, still giggling. “I just remembered something funny. That’s all.”

“Right.” Iroh stated, sounding unamused. He put away the sword, and the servant stowed the box in the back of the satomobile. Then, he stood back and saluted them. “Send Avatar Aang my regards.”

“We will.” Zuko promised.

“I’ll miss you.” Kiyi said warmly, putting an arm her sister. “’Zula and I will come and see you in a month or so if you’re still here.”

“Oh, I think we will be.” Zuko said, sighing dejectedly. “I have a feeling we’re going to be here for a long time.”

“Then we’ll definitely see you.” Kiyi squeezed Azula tightly. “You can count on it. Zula and I will be there!”

“Please stop calling me that.” Azula gave her sister an annoyed look, making her laugh.

“What Zula?”

“That.”

Zuko chuckled. “Now you know what it feels like. You were the one who called me Zuzu.”

“Exactly.” Kiyi said, squeezing her sister again.

Azula huffed and crossed her arms, but even so, there was a ghost of a smile on her lips.

“I’ll see you guys later then.” Zuko nodded. “I need to say goodbye to Izumi.”

“You do that!” Kiyi said brightly. “Zula and I need to say goodbye to Sokka.”

“I’m not sure he wants to see us.” Azula deadpanned.

“Don’t be silly! Of course, he does!”

Zuko turned away, shaking his head with an amused grin, and went to see Izumi.

She stood next to her husband, smiling regally, hand clasped in front of her, but he could sense that something was wrong.

She’s too rigid. Too poised. Zuko realised. Her walls are up. She’s putting on a brave front.

Izumi nodded at him. “Fair winds Prince Zuko.”

“Izumi,” Zuko swallowed. “I guess this is goodbye.”

“I guess it is.” Izumi smiled. “We’re coming up with a cover story for you. We can say that you’re a member of a noble family distantly related to the Royal Family.”

“Erm…well, thanks.”

“If I hear anything from my father, I’ll message you right away.”

Meeting an older version of myself…that’ll be a freaky moment. Zuko thought, mentally shuddering, but smiled back at the Fire Lord. “I hope we can see each other again.” He meant it.

“Yes.” Izumi said, her smile becoming sad. Her husband took her hand and squeezed it.

Zuko nodded at them both. There was nothing else to say.

He and Sokka got in the car, and they sped off.  He glanced behind them. Everyone stayed on the steps until they were out of sight.

Then, they turned around the corner, and he released a deep breath.

They were finally alone. It was just him and Sokka. No Bumi, Azula, or even Tom-Tom to keep them company.

“I wish Bumi had showed up to say goodbye to us.” Sokka mumbled, glancing at the box that contained his new sword. “I wanted to thank him for his kind gift.”

“Yeah.” Zuko said, staring at the road ahead.

“Zuko, we’ll see our friends again in a few days.” Sokka assured him. 

“It’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Was it Azula?” Sokka muttered, scowling. “Did she say something that made you upset?”

“No. She didn’t do anything. Stop blaming her.” Zuko retorted.

“Erm, okay.”

Zuko sighed. “Sokka, I’m upset because…this world is so different. So, much more peaceful than ours. And I’m- the other me, is partly responsible. Now I have to go back home and do everything he did. It’s…I feel like I’m under a lot of pressure.”

“Hey, you don’t have to do it alone.” Sokka said gently. “I’ll help. Katara will help. Toph will help. And Aang is the Avatar, he’ll help you as much as he can.”

“Oh, right.” Zuko laughed sarcastically. “I forgot that Aang has it worse than me. He’s the Avatar. I just have to look after the Fire Nation. He has the responsibility of looking after the whole world.”

“Zuko…”

“I know. I’m being unfair.” Zuko said quietly. “I can’t help but be a teeny, tiny bit, happy that I don’t have to jump into repairing the world immediately. It makes me feel bad because Uncle is probably worried sick about me. And here I am…doing nothing.”

“I know the feeling.” Sokka said. He nodded resolutely. “And we won’t be doing nothing for too much longer. We’ll reunite with our friends and then we’ll get home.”

“I guess we will.” Zuko replied uncertainly. But what if we can’t get home? What if we’re stuck here?

They drove the rest of the way in silence. Their departure was much quicker than their arrival since there were far fewer cars on the road.

At the harbour, a ship, far smaller and sleeker than Bumi’s battleship, was waiting for them. Including the captain, it only had a crew of ten people. Most of them were ordinary sailors, but one man wore a helmet that obscured his face and carried a spear.

He’s probably a guard. Zuko thought, as the car slowed down and they got out.  

The captain approached them and bowed. “Welcome, honoured guests of the Fire Lord. I’ve been instructed to escort you to Air Temple Island in Republic City. You’ll be sharing a cabin. The journey should take us around three days, or slightly less if the winds are kind.”

“Thank you.” Zuko said, bowing back.

The captain blinked in surprise, then smiled. “Shall we get underway?” He turned to Sokka. “We have a trained healer on board, who will help you with anything you need. We can even set up a deckchair for you on the outer deck if you want to rest outside.”

“Erm, sure. That’d be great.” Sokka said nervously. “And yes, we should get underway.”

In no time at all, they had sailed out of the harbour and were soon speeding across the open ocean, leaving Caldera City far behind them.

Sokka relaxed as he leaned back in his deck chair. His foot was resting on a stack of cushions. There was a glass of peach juice next to him on a small table. Zuko sat stiffly on another deckchair on the other side.

The guard hovered a few meters away, scanning the sea and skies for any dangers.

“This is soooo comfortable.” Sokka purred, putting his hands behind his head. “It’s so good to be out of the Fire Nation.”

“It is much more comfortable than Bumi’s ship.” Zuko admitted, lying back and staring up at the sky.

Sokka sobered up. “I’d still rather be on Bumi’s ship. Because he’d be there.”

“Do you really miss him that much?”

“Of course!” Sokka insisted. “He has the same sense of humour that I have. And I love his stories!” He pouted. “This voyage would be much more exciting if he was around.”

“Well, it’s a good thing he is!” A familiar voice boomed.  

Zuko flinched in surprise, while Sokka freaked out, almost falling out of his chair.

A steady pair of arms caught him and lowered him back onto the cushions.

The guard withdrew, then laughed and took off his helmet.

Both of their jaws dropped.

Bumi shook his shaggy hair and grinned at them, eyes gleaming with mirth.

“Bumi??” Sokka gasped. “But how? Why?”

“I snuck aboard.” Bumi boasted, putting a hand on his chest. “Of course, I got permission from my commanding officer for a leave of absence.” He smirked. “Izumi doesn’t know. She still thinks I’m on my ship, investigating a faulty funnel.”

Sokka laughed wildly and slapped his knee. “Ingenious.” He smiled fondly at his sort-of-nephew. “I’m so happy to see you! And thanks for the sword!”

“I picked it out for you!”

Zuko frowned. “Won’t you get in trouble?”

“Nah.” Bumi shook his head. “Although, I can’t stay for too long. When we get to Republic City, I’ll have to leave the very next morning.”

“That’s still three days away.” Sokka grinned.

“Three days of fun and endless entertainment with your best pal at sea!” Bumi cheered.  “I can’t wait to see Tenzin again! And tease him!”

“You’ll get to meet Aang.” Zuko reminded him. “And Katara.”

Bumi became flustered. “Th-that too.”

“Bumi, tell me a story.” Sokka demanded, sitting up.

“Sure!” The older man sat on the edge of Sokka’s chair and started spinning a yarn about “Pirates” and “glowing rocks”.

Sokka listened in rapt attention, gazing at him with eager eyes.

Zuko glanced at them, then slowly got up and walked to the back of the ship.

From the stern, he watched as Caldera City got further and further away until it was out of view.

His heart hurt.

I wish I were back home.

--

Chapter Text

“Woah there buddy.” Aang said, pulling on Appa’s reigns. The bison groaned and stopped moving, hovering in mid-air.

Aang leaned forward. From this angle, he could see the whole of Air Temple Island.

It was the mid-afternoon. The acolytes were going about their business, cleaning the temple and other areas of the island.  

Toph was hanging out with Tenzin’s kids next to the dorms, showing them some earthbending tricks, levitating rocks into tiny little statues, before smashing them with bigger boulders.

Aang frowned and held out his hand, trying to earthbend, only to sigh and retreat when it didn’t work. His connection to the earth was gone. He missed it.

I wish I could play games with Toph. He swallowed. I also miss my connections to the other elements…especially water. Katara and I…He took a deep breath and flew to the other side of the island.

Katara was sitting in the centre of the gazebo, watching the sea and waiting for her brother and Zuko. It had become her new favourite spot. She rarely left it.

Aang descended and waved at her. Katara spotted him and waved back, briefly smiling before returning to her vigil.

Should I join her…? He shook his head and flew higher. Patting Appa’s head, he smiled. “Hey boy, wanna head out to sea and try and find Sokka’s boat? They should be here soon.”

Appa flicked his ears excitedly.

“Let’s do it!” Aang grinned and turned him around, heading for the horizon. After a few minutes, his limbs started to ache, but he ignored it. He had to do this. He didn’t want to be invalid any longer.

He saw several boats heading towards Republic City, but they were too large to be passenger ships. So, he flew on.  

Then, he spotted a small red boat. It was faster than all the others.

Could it be…? He flew towards it, quickly spotting three figures on deck.

One person, dressed in blue, was lounging around on a long chair, talking animatedly with an older man, who was also dressed in blue. A third figure, dressed in red, stood off to the side, arms crossed, with an irritated expression on his face.

Aang grinned. He recognized Sokka and Zuko immediately, but he had no idea who the older man was.  “Sokka! Zuko!” He yelled, waving at them with both hands.

All three of them looked up, surprise momentarily overcoming their faces, before Zuko gave him a relieved grin and Sokka cheered. As for the older man, he went very pale and backpedalled until he was hugging the side of the boat.

“Are you okay?” Aang called out in concern.

The man took a deep breath and grinned weakly at him. “I’m fine.”

“Good.” Aang said. “You’re not that far from Air Temple Island. I’m going to return and tell everyone you’re coming.”

“Okay, Aang!” Zuko nodded.

“One second!” Sokka asked. “What is Republic City like?”

“You’ll see in a moment.” Aang laughed, flicking the reins. “Yip-yip Appa!”

Appa roared and rose higher, before turning around and speeding towards Air Temple Island.

Katara was still sitting in the gazebo, although she looked slightly more bored.

“Katara! They’re almost here!” Aang yelled jubilantly as he flew over her.

Katara grinned and leapt to her feet.

Aang flew on. Kya and Tenzin were waiting for him at the main square.

He landed a good distance from them and then stood up. Immediately, his body ached. He grimaced in pain as he clambered off Appa. Then, he tripped on the bison’s fur, sending him crashing towards the ground. Quickly, he created a cushion of air to break his fall, grabbing onto Appa’s side to keep himself steady as he skidded to a halt.

“Aang!” Tenzin yelled, rushing to his side and offering him a hand. Kya was right behind him, eyes wide and brow furrowed.

“I’m okay.” Aang shook his head. He took a deep breath and stood up straighter, letting go of Appa once he was sure he could stand on his own two feet.

“How was your flight?” Tenzin asked, giving him a concerned look.

“It was great!” Aang grinned. “I found Sokka and Zuko’s boat! They’re almost here.” He cocked his head. “They were with an older guy. I just realised, but he sorta looks like the two of you.”

Tenzin winced, while Kya burst into laughter. “I can’t believe Bumi’s coming here. He must’ve been able to persuade Iroh to let him escort Sokka and Zuko to Republic City.”

“Your brother?”

“Yes,” Kya said. “You’re happy to see Bumi, right, Tenzin?” She elbowed her brother, who crossed his arms and scowled in response.

“I’m ecstatic,” Tenzin deadpanned.

Aang frowned. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Tenzin said quickly. “Kya, why don’t you go and get Pema, Toph, and the kids? I need to have a word with Aang.”

“Uhh, sure.” Kya blinked at him. “I’ll go do that.” She glanced at the two of them and then reluctantly left, heading for the dorms.

Tenzin relaxed. “Phew.”

“Tenzin, are you okay?” Aang asked softly.

“I am. There’s no need to be worried about me.” Tenzin smiled at him. “I just need to mentally prepare myself for Bumi’s arrival. He can be…a big handful.”

“Is your brother anything like the Bumi I know- the king of Omashu?” Aang murmured, gazing at the ground sadly. He dearly missed his old friend.

“I don’t know. I never met him.” Tenzin admitted. “I’d say he’s more like a mad, reckless, version of Sokka, with a similar sense of humour.”

“Woah.” Aang perked up. “So, he is like the Bumi I know.”

“Well, then, you’ll like him.” Tenzin sighed. “He also loves telling stories. Personally, I think he exaggerates quite a lot. But I can’t deny he has passion.”

“Isn’t he a commander in the navy?”

“Yes. He joined when he was barely more than a boy. He was eighteen.” Tenzin said. “And now he’s Second in Command to Izumi’s son Iroh.”

“He must command a lot of respect from his crew.”

“I guess.” Tenzin shrugged. “I haven’t met any of them.”

“Well, enough about Bumi.” Aang declared. “How about you show me some airbending?”

“Huh?”

“Well, you’re a master Airbender, aren’t you?” Aang teased him. “Did you invent a new move, or earn them the old-fashioned way?”  

“Oh, right.” Tenzin coughed, blushing slightly. “I earned them when I was a teenager. I, umm, invented a new move. And of course, I can show it to you. Just erm, please stand back a bit.”

Aang duly walked to the edge of the square. “Is this far enough?”

“Yes.” Tenzin said, then cleared his throat. “This is the Air Wheel. I came up with it when I was seventeen.” Gathering air around himself in a spinning motion, he performed a side flip, using the momentum to gather even more, and then dove directly into a giant wheel of air. He rode it for a few seconds, crossing the square at high speed, before stopping a few meters away from him.

Aang couldn’t help but break into applause. “That was amazing! You need to teach it to me!”

Tenzin smiled. “It would be a pleasure.”

“I bet that there are other moves you could teach me!”

“Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves- “

“Hey!” Jinora ran up to them, heavily out of breath. “I came to get you! Everyone else is already at the pier!”

“Thank you, Jinora!” Tenzin nodded, turning away from him abruptly. “We don’t want to be late!” He dashed away, cape flapping behind him. 

Jinora frowned. “What’s his problem?”

“I dunno.” Aang said, biting his lip. “He’s nervous about Bumi’s arrival, but I don’t think it’s that.”

“Weird.” Jinora stared at her father’s retreating back, then grinned. “I’m sooo excited to meet Sokka! And Zuko!”

Aang laughed, deciding to forget his concerns and go along with her joy. “C’mon then. The sooner we get to the pier, the sooner you’ll get to meet them.” He waved goodbye to Appa and the bison grunted in response and rose into the air, heading for the Bison caves.

They started walking.

“Thanks for telling me so many stories about your travels.” Jinora said, giving him a grateful look. “Beforehand, I’d only read about them in books.”

“No need to thank me.” Aang replied. “I’m just happy to have met other airbenders. It’s...” He took a deep breath to stop himself from tearing up. “…pretty overwhelming.”

“Aang, if you ever need anything...I’ll-I’ll do my best to help you.” Jinora offered.

Aang cheered up. “Well, as I’ve been doing all the talking, maybe you can start educating me about your world?”

“I’d love to!” Jinora squealed. “What do you want to know?”

“Nothing right now.” He chuckled. “I think we need to hurry up a bit.”

“Ohh. Right.”

Everyone else was assembled by the beach, except for Katara, who was standing right at the end of the pier, scanning the ocean, and Tenzin, who was having a hushed conversation with the boatman who ran the ferry.

Suddenly, the boatman threw his arms up in the air and stomped over to his boat. He tore away from the island, face crimson with anger, as Tenzin returned to them with a troubled expression.

Aang opened his mouth and then closed it. He’d ask Tenzin about it later.

“When are they gonna get here?” Ikki whined. “Boats are sooo slow.”

“Ikki, calm down.” Jinora scowled at her sister. “They’ll be here any minute.”

Ikki rolled her eyes. “Wow, you’re so smart Jinora.”

“I am smart.” Jinora smirked. “How nice of you to notice.”

Ikki huffed and muttered something under her breath.

“Why are you two arguing?” Meelo complained. “Girls are so dumb.”

“You’re dumb!” Ikki retorted.

“Not as dumb as you.”

“I’m smarter than both of you.” Jinora joined in.

Ikki and Meelo glared at her.

“Kids.” Pema said with a warning tone.

All three of them quietened.

“They’re here!” Katara yelled.

Everyone rushed to the end of the pier. Sure enough, the boat was just coming up to the island.

Aang stood next to Katara and took her hand, making her blush and smile nervously at him. He squeezed it, aware that his own cheeks were heating up.   

A few minutes later, the boat turned, lining up with the pier. Bumi, Sokka, and Zuko were all on deck.

There were cheers and whoops on both sides.

The gangplank came down. Zuko rushed to meet them, while Sokka slowly stumbled onto the island using a pair of crutches, closely followed by a concerned Bumi.

“Sokka!” Katara careened towards her brother, almost knocking him over as she hugged him tight.  

“Katara!” Sokka hugged her back and then glared at her. “I heard about the explosion. What were you thinking? You could’ve been killed!”

“I had it under control.” Katara snapped, glaring back at him. “I didn’t get hurt. I saved lives!”

“But you blew your cover! It’s only a matter of time until someone puts two and two together and figures out who we really are!”

“We’ll be gone before they do.”

“We don’t know that! We could be here for months!”

Sokka and Katara continued glaring at each other for a few moments, and then they started tearing up and hugged each other again.

Aang gave them space. Sokka would come over to see him when he was ready.  

Meanwhile, the three Airbender kids crowded around their uncle.  

“Heya kids!” Bumi beamed. “It seems we all got a bunch of weird visitors!”

“Well, at least we’re all together again.” Jinora said with a laugh.

“Not for too long, I’m afraid.” Bumi told her. “I have to leave tomorrow morning.”

“Awww.” All three children whined.

“Hey, I still have plenty of time to tell you some great stories.” Bumi assured them.

They all cheered and hugged him.

Bumi looked up and exchanged a smile with Kya, then smirked at Tenzin, who groaned. “Hey there, little brother. How ya been?”

“I’ve had my hands full.” Tenzin muttered. “This whole situation has been a massive headache.”

“Well, don’t worry.” Bumi chuckled. “Your big sister and big brother are here to help. You don’t have to freak out anymore.”

“I’m not freaking out.” Tenzin said grumpily.

“Oh, you are. Just quietly.”

Tenzin went red and turned away.

“Now, now, Tenzin, don’t get upset.” Kya joined in. “As strange as it may seem. we’re here to help you, not tease you mercilessly.” She grinned wickedly. “Although, there’s no issue with a little family teasing. We’re siblings after all.”

Aang watched them with a frown, only to be distracted by Toph going up to Zuko and punching him in the arm affectionately. Zuko grinned at her, unfazed by the pain, and punched her back.

Toph chuckled. They hugged each other for a few moments and then stepped back.

Aang grinned. “Hey, Zuko.”

“Aang!” Zuko exclaimed, sweeping him up into a relieved hug. “I was so worried about you!”

“Same here.” Aang said, putting an arm around him and patting him on the back.

Zuko released him. “I have so much to tell you. I met- “

“What!?” Sokka shrieked.

All eyes turned to him.

“Sokka, calm down- “Katara said gently.

“I can’t remain calm about this.” Sokka shook his head and then turned to Aang. “Is it true that you’re no longer the Avatar?”

Aang froze, his happiness vanishing in the face of Sokka’s stark question. He grimaced and answered. “Yes, Sokka, it is.”

“You- you can’t enter the Avatar state?” Sokka stared at him in disbelief.

“No.” Aang said. “And I can only airbend.”

“Then…how will we get home?”

Aang started to tremble. He felt like crying. “I don’t know.”

“Sokka!” Katara said angrily. “Stop pressurizing him!”

“Hey, I didn’t know!” Sokka defended himself. “I just asked a couple of questions.”

“Well, think before acting! How can you be so stupid?”

“Woah, woah, woah.” Kya stepped in, raising her hands in a pacifying gesture. “Kids, there’s no need to argue. Everyone take a deep breath and calm down.”

Katara immediately deflated. “You’re right Kya. I’m sorry for getting so agitated Sokka.”

“It’s okay Katara.” Sokka said. “You’re just worried about Aang. I am too.” He smiled at Aang regretfully. “I’m sorry buddy.”

“Don’t apologise.” Aang said, forcing himself to relax. “I’m okay.”

Tenzin gazed at him quietly, expression unreadable, then huffed. “Why don’t we all go inside?” He suggested. “We can sit in the dining room and catch up.” He turned to his kids. “You can join us if you behave.”

“Really?” Ikki’s eyes went wide.

“Yes, really.”

Meelo put up his hand with a serious expression.

“Yes, Meelo?”

“I think I’ll be able to help.”

“You do?” Tenzin raised a sceptical eyebrow.

“I have a great plan…to stop Uncle Bumi from leaving.” Meelo said cheerfully. “We can disguise him as an Air Acolyte! Izumi will never find him!”

Tenzin sighed, while Bumi laughed richly and thumped his brother on the back. “We should listen to Meelo! Your son is a genius Tenzin!”

Tenzin gave him an unamused look. “I don’t think so.”

Bumi laughed again. “Lighten up, little brother.” He knelt down and patted Meelo on the head. “I know you want me to stay, but I gotta leave in the morning. I have very important army business to attend to. Understand?”

Meelo puffed up his chest and saluted him. “Yessir!”

Bumi saluted him back and stood up. His eyes fell on Aang, and he swallowed nervously. “Right. Let’s go inside. I need to drink something. I’m about to die of thirst.” He strode ahead at a brisk pace, heading for the temple.

Kya bit her lip and rushed after her older brother, a concerned look on her face. Tenzin and his family exchanged glances and then followed them.

Aang found himself falling into step with his friends.

Zuko frowned at Toph. “Where did you get that scar?”

“Yesterday, in a fight with another earthbender.” Toph scowled. “It was a cheap trick. I should’ve seen it coming.”

“Why were you fighting them?”

“I’ll tell you later.” Toph said grumpily. “After the meeting.”

“Ah, okay.”

“So, Aang...considering, well, everything, how are you holding up?” Sokka asked carefully.

“I was bedridden for a while. But I’m better now.” Aang answered. Physically, not mentally. He thought. I failed my friends, but if I tell them, they’ll just tell me that it wasn’t my fault.  

“He needed a lot of healing.” Katara said. “He just started walking- unassisted, yesterday.”

“Woah.” Sokka’s jaw dropped.

“After we got here, where did you and Zuko end up?” Aang changed the subject.

“On some remote island in the Fire Nation.” Sokka said. “We woke up next to a crashed airship and a lot of burnt bodies.”

“That sounds just like the docks.” Katara shuddered.

“After the explosion?”

“Explosions.” Katara clarified wearily. “The first explosion happened on a large ship. No one knows what exactly caused it. Most of the sailors and the captain died. The second explosion happened on an airship from our time. It had been lit on fire by the first. Lin- the police chief- thinks the fire reached the fuel reserves, making the whole thing blow up.”

“Wait.” Sokka paused, giving her a horrified look. “There was more than one explosion?”

“Yes, Sokka.”

“You’ve been through a lot…”

“We’ve all been through a lot.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Guys, we’re falling behind.” Toph pointed out.

They all looked ahead. Sure enough, the others had almost arrived at the temple.  

“Let’s pick up the pace.” Zuko said quickly. “We can all catch up later, after the meeting.”

“It’s Sokka’s fault.” Toph joked. “He’s slowing us down.”

“Hey, I didn’t plan to get injured!” Sokka grumbled, only to yelp when Toph took his right arm and swung it over her shoulder. “Less talking. More walking.” She said. “Help me Zuko.”

Zuko nodded and did the same with Sokka’s other arm. Together, they lifted him up and carried him towards the temple, quickly catching up with the rest of the group. Sokka complained the whole way, swinging his crutches around and glaring at his two friends.  

Aang lingered behind. He and Katara were alone. “Katara, are you okay?” He asked her.

“I’m just a little bit overwhelmed.” Katara admitted. “I know it’s only been a few days since I last saw Sokka, but with everything else going on, it feels like a lifetime.” She sighed. “I miss home.”

“I miss our friends.” Aang said sadly. “I know that I only spent a couple of months in your time, but I came to see it as my home as well. Even if I still miss…everyone from my own time.” He sniffed. And now, I have to go through it all again.

“Aang?” Katara said softly. “Are you okay?”

Aang hurriedly wiped his eyes and smiled at her. “We’ll talk later Katara. Let’s get to the meeting before they start it without us.”

“Sure.” Katara held out her hand. “Together?”

“Together.” He took it.

They walked hand in hand to the temple, separating when they got closer to the dining room.

They joined their friends, who were sitting at the table closest to the door, while Tenzin and his family sat at the one closer to the window.

Both groups regarded each other.

“So…. who’s going to start?” Zuko piped up.

Chapter Text

“One second!” Jinora squeaked, almost giggling. “Y-your scar!”

“What about my scar?” Zuko tensed.

“It’s j-just s-so…umm.” Jinora stuttered, turning crimson. “Big. And red.”

“I know.” Zuko stated gruffly.

Aang glanced between them. Zuko was getting uncomfortable. Maybe he should-

“I’m s-so sorry.” Jinora mumbled. “I just- I’ve never seen it before. I’ve never even met the older Zuko.” She fanned herself desperately with a hand. “Please don’t take this the wrong way. I just want to ask you some questions about your adventures.”

“Maybe later.” Zuko said listlessly.

“S-sure.” Jinora nodded. I’ll umm…stop talking now.” She put her hands in her lap and breathed slowly in and out.

“All, right, I guess I- “Tenzin said.

“Just one second!” Meelo yelled, slamming his fist into the table. “I have a serious question!”

Tenzin sighed. “Yes, Meelo?”

Meelo pointed sharply at Sokka and Zuko, who stared at him in surprise. “Are either of these two our secret brothers?”

“No. They’re not.”

“But- “

“Meelo, what did I say a few minutes ago?”

Meelo’s face and hand fell, and he muttered something under his breath.

“I didn’t hear that, little man.” Tenzin gave him a pointed look.

“That we could join you if we behaved.” Meelo admitted sullenly.

“So, please, behave.” Tenzin said. “No more interruptions, okay?”

“Okay.” Meelo pouted and sat back down.

Tenzin took a deep breath. “Now, we can talk about- “

“I know what we can talk about.” Bumi declared, jumping to his feet. Tenzin scowled at him but didn’t say anything. “How are we going to explain Aang? There are only meant to be four living airbenders at the moment. If he wants to appear in public -unless he wants to become a hermit and live here in solitude?” He looked at Aang expectantly.  

“Erm.” Aang shook his head. “I don’t wanna become a hermit.”

“Great!” Bumi said brightly. “Now, how are we going to explain another living airbender? Considering that, outside of this family, one hasn’t been born in over seventy years. We can’t just claim that he appeared outta nowhere. People would work out fairly quickly that we’re lying.”

Tenzin went red. “Bumi, I- “He swallowed. “I think it’s easier if we claim that he is related to us. I think I-”

“Tenzin, if you’re about to suggest that we should claim he’s your kid, then please stop.” Kya frowned at him. “It’s not a good idea.”

Toph cackled, Pema grimaced, and Katara bit her lip, while everyone else, except Meelo, who was confused, gawped at Tenzin. Aang could only swallow uncomfortably and avert his gaze.

Tenzin recoiled, then glared at Kya. “Why not?”

“Because of some very personal reasons.” Kya said gently. “Think about it.”

Tenzin continued glaring at her for a few moments, then deflated. “…It’s our best bet.”

“Why don’t we claim that Aang is my kid?” Bumi suggested. “It’ll fit the timeline much better.”

“That’s…I…I…” Tenzin shifted in his seat, wringing his hands. “…that’s a much better idea than mine.”

“It is.” Bumi smirked. “Plus, I know a lot of people who’ll be able to support my story. They’ll manufacture a ton of evidence in case anyone goes digging for answers.” His expression softened. “We can just say that I took Aang on a buncha voyages with me, then, when I discovered he was an Airbender, I didn’t know what to do with him, and sent him here, where you trained him and gave him his arrows. Makes sense?”

Tenzin nodded and took a deep breath. “Yes. It makes sense.”

 “I agree with this new plan.” Aang said, smiling in relief. I am so, so, glad that I don’t have to pretend to be Tenzin’s son. It would’ve been too weird.

“As do I.” Pema chimed in, also smiling in relief.   

“Right, let’s discuss everyone else’s cover stories.” Bumi commanded. “We need to nail down every detail. Journalists will do their damndest to try to figure you guys out.” He rubbed his hands together. “It should be easier than Aang. Toph’s already sorted out, so we don’t need to discuss her. Now, - “He glanced at Sokka, Katara, and Zuko. “-who wants to go first?”

Zuko raised his hand. “Izumi already came up with a cover story for me. She said we can claim that I’m from a noble family distantly related to the royal family.”

“Good. I trust Izumi to sort that out herself. She’s always been good at political intrigues.” Bumi grinned. “Now, it’s time to talk about Sokka and Katara!”

“Well, we’re brother and sister…” Katara trailed off. “…can we still be brother and sister?”

“And keep your names?”  

“We can’t keep our names?”

“I think that if another brother-sister duo named Sokka and Katara turned up, and- “Bumi’s grin widened. “-they were just as brilliant as the old Sokka and Katara, then people would easily figure out that you’re from the past. No, we need to change your relationship. How about if you’re cousins from some remote village in the South Pole, one that doesn’t even exist anymore? There are still plenty of migrating groups that prefer the nomadic life. The White Lotus will be able to cover for you.”

Sokka and Katara shared an uncertain look and then they both nodded reluctantly.

“As for your names, you’ll need to change them.” Bumi said. “Well, Sokka’s at least. It’s too late to change yours mo- Katara.”

“I’m not using the name you gave me.” Sokka muttered, crossing his arms.

“Me neither. It was stupid.” Zuko added quickly.

“Why not?” Bumi frowned comically. “Sookoka and Zakko are perfectly decent names.”

Tenzin’s kids and Toph immediately burst into laughter. Kya, Pema, and Tenzin struggled not to, while Katara and Aang settled for snickering quietly into their hands.

“Sookoka? Zakko?” Toph said, still laughing. “Really?”

“Yes. Bumi told his men that that was our names.” Zuko sighed. “No offence, but I think I am going to keep mine.”

“I’m keeping mine as well.” Aang said.  

“Welp, that means that Sokka needs to change his.” Bumi jibed. “How about taking mine?”

“No way.” Sokka deadpanned. “I’ll think of something.”

“Welp, if Aang, Katara and Zuko aren’t changing their names…then, Toph, you’re definitely going to have to change yours.” Kya said ruefully. “As Lin lied that you’re her niece, you’re going to need to pick a good one.”

“I guess.” Toph said, sounding disappointed.  “I’ll pick one when someone actually needs to know my name. At the moment, I’m stuck on this island and everyone on the mainland knows me as ‘Lin Beifong’s troublesome niece’.”

“All right.” Kya nodded in understanding. “You have plenty of time to decide. With everything that’s been going on with the explosions, I don’t think anyone has tried to verify your identity yet. But you’ll probably have to see Suyin at some point and make a big show of ‘returning home’ or something.” She grimaced. “Lin won’t like that one bit.”

“You’re right.” Tenzin told her. “She was very…reluctant to contact her sister at all. She’ll be even more reluctant to see her. But knowing Suyin…I don’t think she’ll stay in Zaofu. I have a feeling that right now, she’s packing things up and will head here at the first opportunity. I’ve tried to get Lin to accept it, but so far, she’s refused.”

“I’ll talk to her.” Kya offered. “She might need to hear it from an old friend.”

“Yes.” Tenzin huffed and put his hands on the table in front of him. “Now that we’ve dealt with identities and cover stories, we need to discuss the big issue: how are we going to get them home?”

“Wait!” Sokka said. “Before that- we need to discuss Suki!”

Aang blinked, realising something. “And Momo!”

“Yes!” Sokka nodded excitedly. “They followed us here! I’m sure of it!”

“Momo was with me just before the battle with Ozai.” Aang said, leaping to his feet with a worried expression. “He’s definitely here!”

“And Suki was on the airship!” Sokka yelled, stumbling to his feet as well. “We need to find them!”

“Calm down you two.” Pema shushed them. “Please sit back down.”

“Oh, right.” Aang murmured, following her instructions. Sokka blushed and did the same.  

“We will find them.” Tenzin promised. “But for now, we need to discuss how we’re going to get you all home.” He huffed. “Believe me, you’ll have plenty of time to find them while we figure things out.”

“Tenzin, I know that, but I’m worried about her.” Sokka said, gesturing at his injured leg. “I’ll be in bed for at least another week. Who knows where she could be. She could be injured, or worse.” He bit his lip. “She could’ve been taken prisoner, or- or- “

“Sokka.” Katara squeezed his arm. “It’s okay. We’ll find her. We’ll scour the whole of Republic City if we have to.”

“Y-yeah.”

“And you won’t be in bed for another week, just a couple of days at most. I’ll heal you, and then you can go look for her, okay?”

“O-okay.”

Everyone waited for Sokka to calm down, and then Aang cleared his throat. “Sorry, Tenzin. I know you wanted to speak, but I think one thing is clear: we need Korra. I’m…” He shuddered. “…no longer the Avatar, but she is. And she’s the bridge between your world and the spirit one. She can help us figure things out. She just needs to be trained.”

“No need to apologize Aang.” Tenzin smiled at him. “I think if we go south- “

“No, Tenzin.”  Toph declared, shaking her head. “You need to bring Korra here. She needs to leave her compound or whatever and see the world. No matter how dangerous it is.”

“I don’t think that’d be possible. The White Lotus- “

“I second that idea!” Ikki beamed. “I love Korra! And she’d love Republic City.”

“Ikki- “

“I third the idea.” Jinora said quickly.

“And me a hundred!” Meelo shouted. “Because it’s the highest number and I’m the best!”

Tenzin sighed and pinched his nose. “None of you…you don’t understand. I- I can’t just bring her here. Security is incredibly tight at the South Pole. She can’t leave without the approval of all of the Grand Lotuses. And I don’t think any of them would say yes.”

“Why?” Meelo pressed, pouting childishly. “Why would they say no?”

“Because they’re mean.” Ikki fumed. “And they smell.”

“It’s because Korra is the Avatar.” Jinora said with a resigned voice. “She has to be kept safe.” She harrumphed in disgust. “Even if it’s boring.”

“Kids…” Pema shook her head.

“I agree with Toph.” Katara said.

Tenzin gave her a shocked look.

“Tenzin, it’s not just for her own sake, but we need Korra, to have any chance of getting home.” Katara smiled at him sympathetically.

“But…but…I can’t just ask them...” Tenzin grimaced and rubbed the back of his head. “They’ll say no. But what I can do is invite Aang to come south with us. Even so, It’ll take at least a week to arrange things. And we’ll both have to stay there, for spirits knows how long.”

“If that’s our best bet…” Aang nodded with determination. “Then let’s do it.”

“I don’t really want to leave the city.” Tenzin said, expression pained. “A lot is going on.”

“With the council?”

“Yes.” Tenzin confirmed. “But this- getting all of you home is more important.”

“Tenzin…”

“It’s okay, Aang.” Tenzin said gently. “You need to get home and rebuild your world. You’re needed there.”

“I am.” Aang decided not to argue. It’s the only way I can make up for my failure. He added privately.

“Now, what’s next- “

“Hey, I just had a great idea!” Toph announced with a smirk. “While Aang is at the South Pole, we can explore Republic City. Not just to look for Suki, but to have some real fun.”

Tenzin bristled. “Certainly not. You can’t just wander around the city, doing whatever you want. “

“I can’t stay cooped up here either.” Toph countered. “I won’t be reckless, roaming all over the city, causing chaos. I’ll be careful. I promise.” She punched her hands together. “I really wanna check out the Pro-bending Arena!”

“Pro-bending?” Zuko asked. “What’s that?”

“It’s a bending sport where benders beat each other up!” Toph exclaimed, launching into a quick explanation of the sport. “…And it’s loved by thousands- possibly hundreds of thousands of people! Matches are held in a massive arena. I really wanna go see one!”

“I think I’d like to see one too.” Zuko said brightly. “It sounds interesting.”

Tenzin made a face. “But it’s a waste of time- “

“Tenzin, I’ll take them.” Kya cut in, smiling at Toph. “I don’t mind.”

“But- “

“I’ll keep them safe. I won’t let them out of my sight.”

“Very well. But only one match.” Tenzin gave in with a huff. “I have no idea how you’ll get tickets.”

“I can ask Lin.” Kya said. “I’m sure she’ll be happy to help us.”

Toph giggled. “Hey, maybe Aang can be the first airbending probender!”

“No way.” Aang shook his head. “Besides, I’ll be busy training Korra.”

“Fair enough.” Toph shrugged, turning to Zuko. “Hey, wanna form a team with me? Katara can be our waterbender.”

“I’m not joining your probending team Toph.” Katara deadpanned.

“Then what are you going to do?”

“Help Sokka look for Suki.”

Sokka smiled. “Thanks sis.”

“Hey, don’t forget, we need to find Momo as well.” Aang said.  

“Don’t worry Aang, I’ll look for him too.” Katara assured him. “And, if I can, I want to help the people of Republic City as well. I’m sure someone out there needs a good healer.”

“That’s a good idea.” Aang praised her.

“Th-thanks.” Katara blushed lightly, then took a deep breath. “First of all, I want to visit the burn victims at the hospital.”

“Katara, fair warning, but the press will swarm you.” Tenzin informed her. “You’ll need to be very careful.”

“Maybe I can change my appearance, wear a disguise?” Katara said, looking at her clothing. “My wardrobe does need an upgrade.”

“I can take you clothes shopping.” Kya offered.

“Are you sure?” Katara blinked at her in surprise. “Aren’t you already helping Toph?”

Kya laughed. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll have plenty of free time to help you. In fact… “Her gaze swept across the others. “If any of you need anything, to go out into the city for any reason, just ask. You shouldn’t stay cooped up here.” Tenzin opened his mouth to object, but she shot him a challenging look and he backed down.

“Thank you, Kya.” Aang said.

Kya went slightly red, then coughed. “Don’t mention it…Aang.”

“Katara, aside from the press, you should also avoid Tarrlok.” Tenzin said carefully.

“Tarrlok?” Katara frowned. “Who’s he?”

“He’s the councillor for the Northern Water Tribe.” Tenzin scowled. “He’s been asking about you. I suspect he wants to use you for something.”

“Use me?”

“Likely for positive PR, or to advance his control of the city somehow.” Tenzin shuddered. “He’s a very unpleasant individual. He even tried to use the disaster at the docks to advance his own power.”

“Does he have any connections to the criminal underworld?” Toph asked suddenly.

Tenzin furrowed his brow. “I don’t think so. He has his own spy network. He even has spies in the police force. Lin isn’t very happy about that.” He took a deep breath. “Because of this, I am going to need to ask all of you to avoid using the ferry.”

“Is it because the boatman is one of his spies?” Sokka said, giving him a shrewd look.

Tenzin nodded.

Ah. So that’s why he was arguing with him earlier. Aang realised.

“Tenzin, you should fire him.” Bumi declared. “If he’s a spy for Tarrlok, he could put all our plans in jeopardy.”

“I know.” Tenzin sighed. “I just don’t like firing people”

“If we can’t use the ferry, how are we going to the city?” Kya said uncertainly. “A bison will be too noticeable.”

“We can use our waterbending.” Katara suggested. “We can craft some sort of ice boat and push it to shore.”

“At night, you’ll be hidden by the darkness, but you’ll be a sitting turtleduck in daylight.” Bumi pointed out.

“I’m sure no one will notice us.”

“This is Republic City. People notice everything.” Bumi chuckled. “But don’t let me stop you. I trust Kya to keep you hidden.”

“Are we done here?” Sokka yawned. “I need to rest.”

“Sure. Let me help you!” Bumi said giddily, jumping to his feet.

“Woah there!” Sokka raised a hand. “No thanks.”

Bumi pouted and sat back down with a thump.

“Bumi, nothing against you, but I want to speak to my friends. Alone.” Sokka clarified with a tired smile. “Besides…” He glanced around. “I suspect that you and your family want to catch up as well.”

“But you’re family.” Ikki complained. “You should stay.”

“I’m not your great uncle.” Sokka said quietly.

“But- “

“I’m not.”

Ikki stared at him for a moment, then growled angrily and crossed her arms.

“Sokka is right.” Tenzin said. “We should separate.”

“Thanks for understanding Tenzin.” Sokka nodded. “Katara, can you please help me?”

“Sure!” Katara rushed to his side and helped him stand.

“See you guys later.” Toph said, standing up and stretching her arms.

Zuko scrambled to his feet. “It was nice meeting you all.” He said, nodding at everyone in the room.

“It was nice to meet y-you.” Jinora murmured, covering her face with her hands to hide her embarrassment.

Zuko frowned at her, then shrugged and followed Toph, Katara, and Sokka out of the room. Only Aang remained behind. “See you all at dinner.” He said, then addressed Tenzin.” Thank you again for showing me the Air Wheel.”

“It was my pleasure.” Tenzin said graciously.    

“Can you please show me some more moves later?”

“Sure.”

“Umm…” Bumi raised his hand, then lowered it, put his hands together, and twiddled his thumbs. “I…Aang…geez this is difficult.”

“What is it Bumi?” Aang asked. I’m guessing he’s nervous because I’m essentially a child version of his dead father. Which, yeah, is pretty understandable. But what can I do?

“Nothing.” Bumi said quickly. “Go and catch up with your friends. We can talk later.”

“Okay.”

“Bye Aang” Tenzin’s kids all chanted, waving excitedly at him.

“Bye Jinora, Meelo, and Ikki.” Aang laughed and waved them goodbye, then hurried after his friends. As he ran, his heart rose, trembling with both excitement and apprehension.

They could finally talk alone.

Chapter Text

It was a long trip to the dorms. They hauled Sokka all the way to one of the spare rooms at the end of the hallway. After they had put him to bed, Toph and Katara sat next to him. Zuko let Aang take the only chair in the room while he remained standing.

“This is all so surreal.” Zuko said. “Part of me still can’t believe that this is the future.”

“It’s messed up, that’s what it is.” Sokka huffed. “I just want to find Suki and Momo and get back home. I don’t want to be here. I never wanted to know my future. I wanted to live it on my own terms.”

“I’m just worried about Dad. He must be worried sick.” Katara admitted quietly.

“Katara…” Sokka winced. “I’m worried about him too…”

“I’m worried about Uncle.” Zuko said sadly. “He must think I’m-we’re dead.”

“I don’t have anyone back home.” Aang murmured, then blinked, realising what he had just said. “I mean- I miss our friends, but my whole family is here.” Literally and figuratively. He thought.

Katara smiled. “We’ll always be your family Aang.”

He smiled back at her.

“I bet my parents are still mad at me.” Toph said suddenly. She was staring at the floor, eyes full of regret. “I didn’t really leave them on the best of terms.”

“Toph, I’m sure they aren’t.” Katara put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her. “We’ll get back home. You’ll see them again.”

“Th-thanks.” Toph leaned into her.

Sokka reached up and put a hand on her back.

After a few moments, Toph nodded and then shook them off. “Right. It’s time for us to catch up. Zuko and Sokka, you guys start. Tell us everything that happened to you two.”

“Zuko, can you please do it? I’m a lil’ bit tired.” Sokka said, pretending to yawn.

“Sure.” Zuko chuckled. “Well, Sokka and I woke up on a beach on a remote island in the Fire Nation…” He told them about their initial arrival, finding Azula, the fight with Ozai’s soldiers, and then signalling for help.

“Wait, Azula- this Azula, is sane?” Toph muttered in disbelief.

“Sort of.” Sokka muttered, rubbing his leg. “She’s much saner than our Azula. But she still has some issues.”

“She did kill those soldiers.” Aang grimaced in disgust. “She didn’t have to.”

“Aang, they tried to kill us.” Zuko argued. “And they almost burnt down her house. If it wasn’t for her, we might not be here.”

“Sokka.” Aang looked at his friend. “What do you think?”

“Aang, truth be told, I don’t know if she needed to kill them.” Sokka admitted. “I don’t think I’ll ever really know. But I do know this…what’s done is done. We can’t change the past, only move forward and do our best.”

Aang swallowed his protests and nodded. “What happened next?”

Zuko described the journey to the fishing village, meeting Tom-Tom, Bumi’s arrival the next morning, and then their departure for the Fire Nation capital.

“Tom-Tom’s real name is Tomo?” Aang’s said, his eyes going wide.  

“That’s what shocked you?” Zuko frowned.

“To be honest, it shocked me as well.” Sokka said. “I guess, in hindsight, Tom-Tom was obviously a child’s name, but...” He shrugged. “That’s not the most shocking thing that happened to us.” He smiled at Zuko. “Why don’t you tell them about Kiyi?”

“Kiyi?” Aang asked.

“She’s…” Zuko groaned, ruffling his hair. “Let me start at the beginning.” He told them how they- the past Team Avatar- had searched for his mother and discovered her fate. “Kiyi is my sister. She’s the daughter of Ursa and Noren.”

Everyone, except Sokka, stared at him. Sokka, for his part, just laughed. “She’s actually quite nice. Because she was raised outside of the Royal Family, she’s way less messed up.”

“Sokka!” Zuko glared at him.

“Hey, it’s the truth.” Sokka stated. “She had a stable family. She didn’t have Ozai for a father.”

Zuko opened and closed his mouth, then nodded angrily. “You’re right. If I ever see Ozai again…” His face turned to thunder, and he clenched his hands into fists.

“Woah, Zuko.” Aang said. “Calm down. Ozai isn’t here.”

Zuko took a deep breath and tried to relax. “Y-yeah.”

“Why don’t you tell us what happened next? You arrived at Caldera City and met the Royal Family?”

“Yes.” Zuko said, keeping his voice measured. “When we arrived, a whole retinue was waiting for us. Even the Fire Lord.”

“Oh, the older Zuko’s daughter.” Toph grinned. “Is she as dark and brooding as you?”

Zuko went red. “I’m not- She wasn’t- “

Toph chuckled. “Calm down Sparky. I was just trying to lift the mood.”

“I know.” Zuko paled slightly. “It’s just…the Capital was so different. And She- Izumi called her son Iroh.”

“Woah.” Toph’s expression softened. “She must’ve been really close to your Uncle.”

“I guess...” Zuko murmured, gazing out of the window. “I really miss him.”

“Zuko, it’s okay.” Katara said gently. “We all miss him too.”

“T-thanks.” Zuko turned back with a grateful smile. “The Fire Lord, Izumi, is quite reserved. But I chatted with her a bit. She told me what happened after the war- with my dad and Mai.”

“If it’s too difficult, you don’t have to tell us.”

“No. It’s okay.” Zuko gave them a determined look. “Here’s what happened.”  He spoke slowly, managing to keep his cool as he recounted Ozai’s imprisonment and eventual death.

“No wonder you freaked out.” Toph muttered. “If I ever see him again, I’ll beat the shit outta him.”

“Hopefully we won’t see him again for a while. He’s kinda mean.” Sokka snarked.

“Did anything else happen in the Fire Nation?” Aang pressed on. He didn’t want to talk about Ozai. It reminded him of his failure. And judging from the concerned look Katara gave him, she knew it.

“The food was good.” Sokka said. “A bit spicy, but good. Oh, and Kiyi showed us a cool fire show. She turned her flames into different colours using some strange powders, and then bent them into different shapes.”

“It was pretty amazing.” Zuko said. “She wants to visit Republic City with Azula and meet you all.”

“I’m not sure I want to meet her.” Toph scowled. “Azula, I mean. Kiyi sounds fine.”

“Yeah.” Aang agreed.

“Well, Kiyi wanted to show her cool flames to you.” Sokka said. “Believe me, it’s worth seeing. And this is coming from a guy who usually detests anything involving fire.”

“Well…” Aang trailed off. “I’ll think about it. What happened next?”

“We left the Fire Nation and came here. Bumi snuck onto our boat. You know the rest. Except...” Zuko sighed. “Before we left, after the show, I had a private talk with Azula. What she told me…I’d rather keep it to myself for now.”

“It’s okay Zuko.” Katara said quickly. “Why don’t I tell you what Aang, Toph, and I got up to?”

“Please do.”

“Katara, can I start?” Toph asked. “I just wanna tell Zuko and Sokka about how I arrived here.”

“Sure.”

 “I don’t have much to tell.” Toph said, shrugging and swaying her arms back and forth. “I woke up in an alley close to the docks. I thought it was some sort of weird dream. I saw some thieves bullying a man, so I beat them up, and then I beat up the cops when they showed up to stop me. I got so angry that I ripped a couple of ‘tram lines’ out of the street.”

“Tram?” Sokka frowned. “Is that some sort of Satomobile?”

“I don’t think so.” Toph shook her head. “I think it’s some sort of train. Like the train in Ba Sing Se but more modern.”

Sokka whistled. “I bet it goes all around the city. It sounds way more convenient than a satomobile.”

“In Caldera City, to get to the Royal Palace, Sokka and I rode in a satomobile.” Zuko revealed. “It was big, with three rows of seats.”

“Well, it was pretty cramped, because I was lying in your lap.” Sokka huffed, crossing his arms. “And we were stuck in traffic, surrounded by other cars. The Fire Nation capital has a terrible road system. It was very chaotic.”

“I also rode in a Satomobile. With Lin. But it was at night, so there were very few other cars around.” Toph said. “She drove to the docks to confront me after my rampage. I tried to beat her up too, but she talked me down, explained things, and then took me to her apartment.” She lowered her head and winced.  “I- I hurt a lot of innocent people. I’m not proud of it.”

“Toph, we’ve all made mistakes.” Zuko comforted her.  “Remember, I spent months chasing Aang around the world.”

Toph laughed. “I know. I just feel so stupid.” She took a deep breath. “Right, I’m sick and tired of talking. Katara, please take over.”

“Sure.” Katara said. “It started when I woke up on the beach here in the middle of the night…” She recounted everything that had happened to them, up until the second explosion.

“Well, first of all, sis, you’re an amazing bender.” Sokka grinned at her. “You saved all of those people.”

“Th-thanks.” Katara blushed. “But I didn’t do it alone. I had a lot of help.”

“Well, you were the one who came up with a plan.” Sokka said, then frowned. “What I don’t understand is…you found Appa in the middle of the burning docks, just standing there?”

“Yes. He was quite distressed.” Katara said uneasily. “I- we don’t know what happened to him beforehand.”

“Well, considering the explosion, it was likely something quite bad.” Sokka murmured, stroking his chin. “What happened next?”

Katara told them about their return trip, how Toph had gotten her scar, and what they had discovered at the warehouse. She grimaced after she had finished. “If I’d only had proper water, I could’ve healed Toph properly.”

“It’s no big deal.” Toph waved off her concerns. “I’ll admit, it was sorta painful when I first got it, but I’m over it now.”

“Toph, it’s hardly visible anyway.” Sokka said flippantly. “I mean, unless someone looks too closely, or the light catches it- “

Toph glared at him, mouth curled into a sneer.

“!” Sokka flinched and held up his hands. “S-sorry”

Toph rolled her eyes. “Whatever.” She turned to Zuko. “Zuko, what do you think about the scorch marks at the warehouse?”

“It was either a reckless firebender, someone untrained…” Zuko guessed. “…Or someone using anger and hatred to fuel their firebending. Like Azula- my sister, not the older one.” He frowned. “It can’t have been her…. did she follow us here?”

“No.” Katara said. “Remember, we left her behind at the Fire Nation Capital in our world. I chained her hands to a grate. And considering that we hopped on Appa and flew like the wind to reunite with Aang and the others, she couldn’t have followed us.”

“Then who could it have been?”

“I don’t know.” Katara admitted. “None of us can really remember what happened. How we got here…it’s a mystery.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Sokka said, shaking his head. “The firebender at the warehouse might not even have anything to do with us.” He forced himself to sit up, gritting his teeth in pain as he pulled up his injured leg.

“Sokka!” Katara called out.

“I’m fine.” Sokka grunted, leaning back against the pillows and breathing in and out. “We need to focus on finding Suki and Momo. That’s what’s important. Not some random firebender.”

“But the fight at the warehouse might’ve happened at the same time as the explosion, or just after.”

“Katara, I’m not dismissing it completely, but the tunnel in the warehouse is buried under a ton of rubble. If we need to go underground, we’ll need to find another way.” Sokka said. “We’ve spent enough time discussing the warehouse. We need to move on and come up with a proper plan. How are we going to find Suki and Momo?”

Katara nodded. “When you’re better, we’ll get started. We’ll have to search the whole city for them. They could be anywhere.”

“How hard can it be?” Sokka joked weakly.

“Sokka, millions of people live here.” Toph said. “Okay, Republic City is not as big as Ba Sing Se, but I bet it’s still the second largest city in the world. And most of the buildings are incredibly tall. And then there are the tunnels…that’s a lot of ground to cover.”

“We’ll cover it all.” Sokka declared. “As Tenzin said, we have time. It’ll take months to train Korra, and even longer to get home.”

“Well, what if Suki has been taken prisoner?” Toph questioned, bringing up his earlier fears.

“Then we’ll need to focus on the groups that might’ve found her.” Sokka said. “What about the criminals that attacked you at the docks? Or that group Tenzin mentioned- the Equalists?”

“If Suki has been taken prisoner by criminals, or Equalists, then Lin can help us.” Katara suggested.

“Will she?” Sokka said, giving her a sceptical look. “From your story, I got the impression that she didn’t want to let you guys come to the docks or put yourselves in danger.”

“She’s just worried about us. And she was affected by the incidents with the criminals.”

“Hrm.” Sokka remained doubtful. “She may also be too busy to help us if she’s the police chief. No, we need a second option.” He pursed his lips, then blinked. “What about that guy that Tenzin mentioned? The councillor? Maybe he could help us?”

“Tarrlok?” Aang frowned. “But Tenzin told us not to trust him!”

“Oh, we won’t trust him.” Sokka said. “We’ll only use him to find our friends.” He gave Katara a pleading look. “He wants to meet you. That could be an in.”

“I’ll only meet with him as a last resort. Only if Lin won’t help us and Tenzin is too busy.” Katara affirmed, giving him an understanding look. “I get that you want to find Suki, but we have to be careful here.”

“I know.” Sokka nodded. “We’re only discussing options. I’m sure we can persuade Lin to help us.”

“I’m sure we can.” Toph deadpanned. “Can we please move on Sokka?”

“Erm, okay.”

“Right, when Aang goes south, he needs to bring Korra back with him.” Toph said. “We need her help if we want to have any hope of getting home.”

“I agree Toph, but Tenzin…” Aang hesitated before continuing. “It’s going to be tough to persuade him.”

“You don’t need to persuade him.” Toph said gruffly. “Just smuggle Korra out of her compound and fly away with her on Appa.”

“What if Korra doesn’t want to go?”

“Oh, she will.” Toph smirked. “I understand what she’s been through. We’ve both been locked away for most of our lives. Once you explain things to her, she’ll be more than eager to leave.”

“I’ll do my best to persuade Tenzin, but if push comes to shove, I’ll get Korra out and bring her here.” Aang murmured, shifting in his seat. He didn’t like this plan, but he could see it was necessary. It still felt like they were betraying Tenzin. And he had done so much for them…

“When she gets here, we’ll need to create a training regime for her.” Sokka said. “She’ll not only need to learn airbending…but other stuff as well.”

“Spiritual stuff.” Aang said. “If I’m going to teach her about the spirits, I should try to meditate into the spirit world and connect with them.”

“Are you sure about that Aang?” Katara asked, giving him a concerned look.

“I know it’ll be tough Katara.” He smiled at her. “But I’ll be careful. I’ll find a spot with a lot of spiritual energy and do it there. It’ll be easier for me.”

Katara relaxed, then chuckled. “You’ll finally know what it’s like to be one of the Avatar’s teachers. Believe me, it’s a lot of fun, but it’s also a big responsibility.” 

“You need to be extra hard on her.” Toph advised with a grin.

“And lecture her about every little thing.” Zuko joined in.

Aang laughed. “Well, if I need any advice, I’ll come to you guys.”

“Everyone, remember we have a week before anything will happen, as Tenzin needs to arrange things with the White Lotus.” Zuko said, tilting his head. “Talking about the White Lotus…I’m curious about them. Why did they go public after the war? Why did they lock the Avatar away?”

Sokka winced, slumping down in his bed with a defeated look.

“Sokka?” Aang said. “What is it?”

“It’s nothing.” Sokka kept his head down, avoiding their gazes.  

“Obviously it is something.” Toph mocked him softly. “Or you wouldn’t have reacted with such obvious discomfort at Zuko’s words.”

Sokka sighed. “It was something Bumi told me.”

“He told you about why Korra is in the South Pole!” Toph exclaimed. “Tell us!”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why?”

“He told it to me in confidence. Really strict confidence.” Sokka said, hugging himself and laughing bitterly. “But if I refuse to tell you, then none of you are going to let it go and will keep pestering me until I spill the beans.”

“Sokka, we wouldn’t-” Katara started.

“You would.” Sokka said pointedly. “I know you would. So, there’s no point in me keeping it a secret. I may as well tell you all now.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I do.” Sokka insisted. He was silent for a few more moments, then took a deep breath and started talking. “When Korra was four, a group of criminals tried to kidnap her from her home in the South Pole. They almost succeeded. I- the other me, helped stop them.”

Everyone stared at him in shock.

“They tried to take her from her family?” Aang shuddered, gripping the base of the chair to steady himself. “When she was just a child?”

“No wonder the White Lotus wanted to lock her away.” Zuko muttered.

“Yeah. But I haven’t finished yet. It gets worse.” Sokka said grimly. “The criminals were separated and placed in elaborate prisons, far, far away from each other. I think that they’re very skilled, very powerful, benders. Bumi told me that they worked for an organisation called the Red Lotus.”

“Red?” Katara asked with a frown.

“Red.” Sokka confirmed. “They’re the antithesis of the White Lotus. Basically, after the White Lotus went public at the end of the Hundred Year War, a splinter group emerged. They were upset that the organisation had revealed its existence. So, they went into hiding.” He paused to take a breath.” They have spies everywhere. It’s why the White Lotus is so secretive. Not many people know Korra’s current whereabouts.”

“No wonder Tenzin was so serious, so secretive, about the Avatar.” Toph said, shaking her head in annoyance. “I feel a bit bad for having put so much pressure on him, but he should have told us.”

“Maybe he thought we wouldn’t keep it a secret?” Zuko suggested.

“Yeah, but they should’ve trusted us. Who are we going to tell? We just got here.” 

“We probably don’t know everything about what happened.” Aang said quickly. “We might be missing some key details.”

“I agree. Let’s keep quiet about it for now.” Zuko nodded. “What’s next?”

“I have something I need to say to Toph.” Katara gave her a stern look. “I think you need to be nicer to Lin.”

“Why?” Toph frowned. “Neither of us like each other.”

“Toph, she’s just worried about you.” Katara said. “That’s why she’s so strict. She cares about you.”

“That’s what my parents told me before they locked me away.” Toph scowled. “Lin thinks I’m a child who can’t look after myself.” She chuckled darkly. “No wonder the other me abandoned her.”

“Toph, don’t say that. Lin has done so much for us.” Katara chastised her. “She let us investigate the warehouse, lied to her fellow officers that you were her niece and stopped you from getting in trouble, and is working extremely hard to help us get home.”

Toph went red. “She’s a cop! And she’s a massive pain in the ass!”

“Toph,” Katara said softly, her expression equally tender. “You know that sometimes you’re not the easiest person to get along with. Imagine what an older, crankier version of yourself must be like. Maybe try to have a bit more of an open mind about Lin and look at things from her perspective?”

“I know! But Lin is…She’s so…” Toph sighed. “Fine. I’ll think about it.”

Aang froze and grimaced. He had just realised something.

“Aang?” Katara said, noticing his predicament.

“I’m okay.” He said quickly. “I just realised something. Something unpleasant.”

“What?”

“In a week, I’m going to meet the older you- the other Katara. Tenzin’s mother.” He swallowed. “I don’t think I’m ready for it. It’s going to be weird. Weirder than anything else that has happened so far.”

“Oh.” Katara bit her lip. “I didn’t think of that.”

“Aang, take a deep breath and stop freaking out.” Toph advised. “Even if she’s old, it’s still Katara. Are you really scared of her?”

“I-I-I’m not.” Aang said, stumbling over his words. “But- “

“There’s no buts about it.” Toph stated. “You’re either scared of her or you’re not.”

“Then I’m not.”

“Good.” Toph laughed. “And look on the bright side, you likely won’t encounter an older version of yourself. Heck, I probably won’t meet Old Lady Toph. She’s probably a hermit living in the middle of nowhere. It’s more likely for Sparky or Sweetness to meet their older selves.”

“The other Zuko is flying around on a dragon.” Zuko flinched. “Spirits, meeting him really will be weird.”

“Welp, Sparky, I agree. Although, I wonder if he is as brooding as you are.” Toph quipped.

Everyone laughed, even Zuko.

Then Sokka started to cough. He huffed and lay back. “I think I’d like to get some rest now. See you all later.”

“Of course, Sokka.” Katara said.

They all trooped out as he shut his eyes.

“What are you guys gonna do now?” Aang asked.

“Welp, I’m gonna show Zuko around the island.” Toph said, elbowing the firebender. “Don’t worry pal. It’ll only take several hours.”

“Uhm, okay then.” Zuko shrugged. “Lead the way.”

Toph grinned and seized his arm, pulling him towards the front doors of the dorm.

“Aang, want to go for a walk with me?” Katara said. “I’d love to show you the pagoda.”

“Sure.” Without thinking, Aang held out his hand, only to blush when he realised what he had done.

Katara chuckled, twinned their fingers together, and led him outside.

Chapter Text

Momo was lost. He had no idea where he was.  

Everything was too loud. Too chaotic.

He had been flying around for days over gleaming towers made of metal and glass, streets full of metal things that screeched and honked, and bustling sidewalks and alleys.  At one point, there was a massive boom, and he hid on a rooftop for a whole day before flying onward. After almost a week of wandering, he finally found a green area, a park, filled with trees and shrubs. It even had a pond.

But there were still people everywhere, chatting, walking, and, most importantly of all, eating.

Momo’s stomach rumbled loudly. He hadn’t eaten a proper meal in days. There were no fruit trees in the city, only shops and stalls that sold fruit alongside other food. Every time he landed, someone would either yell at him angrily or chase him away. So, he’d been reduced to eating bugs. Usually, he didn’t mind them, but they’d always been more of a snack for him than a proper meal.

He spotted a couple—a boy and a girl—lounging around on a blanket, sharing a pile of lychee nuts, and salivated. Landing a couple of meters away from them, he stared at them hungrily and crawled over.

The girl spotted him and clapped excitedly. “Aww. Such a cute animal. I’ve never seen one like that before!” She frowned. “I…I think it’s hungry. It wants some of our food.”

The boy next to her wrinkled his nose. “Honey, it’s some kind of wild vermin. Who knows where it’s been? Don’t feed it.”

The girl made a face. “Eww. Now, it’s not so cute.” She angrily waved her arms at him. “Go away! Shoo! Go and bother someone else.”

Momo gave her a sad look and crept closer, hoping that she would take pity on him or at the very least, lower her guard enough for him to steal some of the fruit.

“Let’s leave. Our date is ruined.” The girl complained to her boyfriend.

“Agreed.” The boy said, grabbing the nuts and wrapping them up in a bag.

Momo screeched in desperation and darted towards them. Maybe he could steal one if he was quick enough-

*WHAM*

The girl punched him. Right in the face.

Momo retreated, rubbing his cheek with both hands. She wasn’t that strong, but it still stung.

The girl started shrieking and jumping up and down. “Eww. Eww. I can’t believe I did that! We need to go to a hospital! I could have caught something from it!”

“Stop panicking.” Her boyfriend said, standing up with the bag under one arm.  

“Don’t say that!” The girl continued shrieking. “You didn’t touch it!”

The boy rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll take you to a hospital.”

“Thank you.” The girl said curtly, finally calming down.

They walked away, bickering quietly.

Momo wrapped his tail around himself. His stomach felt horribly hollow. He hated it. He needed to find food.

Taking a deep breath, he mustered up the courage to keep going and took off. Flying around the rest of the park, he tried to beg for food from everyone he saw or steal it if he saw an opportunity.

Most people reacted like the couple had, putting away their food and yelling at him to leave.

The only person who was kind to him was a young girl who was eating some grapes. She cooed at him and gave him a large handful, giggling as he wolfed them down. Then her mother spotted her and screamed like a buzzard wasp before dragging her away and berating her harshly enough to make her cry.

Momo squeaked, feeling bad for the girl. He hadn’t meant to get her in trouble. Then his stomach grumbled, and he sighed and flew to the lake.

Flies were buzzing around the surface of the water. He ate a lot of them, but it still wasn’t enough to satisfy his hunger. Disappointed, he sat down and stared forlornly at his reflection. He missed Aang, Appa, and the others.

*Rustle rustle*

He screeched. The bush next to him was moving. He leapt to his feet and unfurled his wings. He had to get away-

“Woah. Sorry, little guy. I didn’t mean to startle you.” A scruffy man emerged from the bush and gave him a toothy smile. His clothing was ragged and torn and he had twigs and leaves in his grey hair and beard.

Momo took a deep breath and forced himself to relax.

The man cocked his head and peered at him. “Say, are you hungry?”

Momo chittered pensively.

“Aww shucks. I wish I had something to give you.” The man said. “Unfortunately, I barely have enough food for myself. Most days, I’m lucky if I get more than one meal. I usually survive on scraps from dumpsters or bins, or the kindness of a few souls in the markets and restaurants of this fair city.” He stilled, thinking for a few moments, then grinned. “Ain’t that an idea…hey buddy, are you some kind of lemur?”

Momo stared at him. Could he trust this guy? He couldn’t sense any malice in the man’s lopsided grin, only kindness. So, after a moment, he nodded slowly.

“Then I’m guessing you like eating fruit and such?”

Momo perked up. Was the man offering to get him some food?

The man laughed. “Well, I know a spot where we might find some grub. There’s a grocery store on the other side of the park that doesn’t secure its dumpsters correctly. There are usually some good pickings if you don’t mind a bit of grime and rot. Unfortunately, it’s a bit of a walk. I wasn’t planning on going there today, but if both of us need food, then why not?

Momo chittered and clambered up his shoulder. He didn’t have any other options. And he needed to eat something. Or he would die. Painfully.

“My name’s Gommu by the way. I- “

There was a shrill whistling sound. Momo screeched and covered his ears.

A lumbering guard appeared, lowering a large whistle from his mouth and glaring at them. “So, vermin colluding with vermin, huh?” He pointed angrily at Momo. “That creature belongs in the pound, and you- “His fat finger moved to Gommu. “-belong in prison!”

Gommu swore and leapt over his bush, running towards the other side of the park.

The guard yelled and rushed after them. Despite his girth, he was much faster than Gommu. It wasn’t long before he started to catch up to them.

Momo raised his head and hissed at him. Why couldn’t he just leave them alone?

“Almost there, little buddy!” Gommu said breathlessly. “We can- oof!”

The guard grabbed him by the collar and yanked him off his feet, sneering into his face. “Gotcha!”

Gommu quailed and covered his face.

The guard laughed and pulled his hand back into a fist. Momo leapt at him, biting it as hard as he could.

The guard yelped and dropped Gommu, causing him to laugh and start running again. “This way! We can lose him in the city!” Momo landed back on his shoulder, curling his tail around his neck.

They ran out of the park, across a street filled with honking metal things, and into a tiny alleyway.

After a few twists and turns, Gommu stopped and buckled over, grabbing a nearby wall for support. “Good job little buddy.” He coughed. “Lemme just catch my breath…”

Momo patted the side of his face, trying to comfort him. Gommu smiled in appreciation. A few minutes later, he took a deep breath and nodded. “The store’s only a few blocks from here. It’ll take ten minutes tops.”

Momo gazed at the sky. It was getting dark. He hoped they wouldn’t be out for too long.

Gommu led him to a small shop on the corner of a side street. Glancing around, he ducked into the alleyway behind it.

He approached some strange metal boxes, threw one of them open and then grinned excitedly. “Look at that! They already threw out the old produce! It won’t be too rotten!” He grabbed a very brown pear and took a large bite out of it, getting juice all over his beard, before making a pleased sound, like it was the greatest food in the world.

Momo chittered uncertainly. The fruit smelled funny. But…he was starving. He had to eat something. Climbing down carefully from Gommu’s shoulder, he jumped into the box and sorted through the fruit.  

He found a few pieces that were only slightly brown and ate as many of them as he could. Gommu just stuffed his face with anything he could get his hands on, only avoiding the most black and rotten of the produce.

Eventually, Momo ate his fill and clambered out of the out of the box with a happy burp. He sidled over to Gommu and hugged him close. The homeless man had saved his life.  

Gommu laughed richly and patted him on the head. “No problem little buddy. Say…you’re quite friendly for a critter, do you have a home?”

Momo squeaked frantically, trying to convey that yes, he did have a home and dearly missed his family.

“Woah, woah. It’s okay.” Gommu patted him again. “Your owner must be worried sick. Do you know where they are?”

Momo shook his head.

Gommu sighed. “Well, I can’t drop you off at a police station. They’d lock you up in the pound. And unless someone claimed you, they’d put you down.” He grimaced and scratched his neck. “This might seem like a dumb question, but… do you know how to read and write?”

Momo gave him an annoyed look and crossed his arms.

“Yeah. That was a stupid question.” Gommu admitted. “Is there any way you can tell me who your owner is?”

Momo considered his words, then nodded and took off. Flying circles around Gommu, he created a small burst of air and rustled his clothing, before landing back in front of him.

“Ohh, your owner is an airbender!” Gommu realised with a grin. “You’re lucky. There’s only one family of airbenders in this city. They live on Air Temple Island.”

Momo frowned. Aang didn’t live on an island. This city was strange. But maybe…those other airbenders would know where Aang was?

 “I can take you to the ferry in the morning. In the meantime…do you wanna stay with me? Just for the night?” Gommu asked, giving him a hopeful look.

Momo nodded eagerly. He trusted Gommu now.

“Great!” Gommu whooped. “Right…we need to find a place to sleep. I know we were just chased out of the park, but it would be a good place to rest. It’s quieter at night and there are several benches we can sleep on.”

Momo nodded again, less eagerly than before. He didn’t want to go back there. But if Gommu thought it was a good idea…

They returned to the park. Gommu curled up on a bench and Momo curled up next to him.

It was a difficult night. Momo, unused to his surroundings, kept waking up and rolling over, trying desperately to get back to sleep. Gommu, for his part, never woke up or even moved. It was obvious that he had trained himself to fall asleep in harsh environments.

The morning came quickly. Too quickly.

They were woken up by a familiar shrill whistle.

Gommu immediately leapt into action. He rolled off the bench and started sprinting through the park.

Momo flew up into the air and chittered angrily at the guard. Why couldn’t the oversized brute just leave them alone? He had to do something!

Making a decision, he dived down and snatched up the guard’s helmet, screeching loudly to get his attention.

The guard skittered to a halt, feeling the top of his head, and then glared at him, more in desperation than anger. “Hey! Give that back! I pay for my own uniform! It’ll come out of my paycheck!”

Momo made a noise like laughter and flew over the lake. He almost dropped the helmet into it, then considered what the guard had said and dropped it into a bush instead.

The guard panicked and scrambled to retrieve it, letting them get away.

Momo met up with Gommu at the southernmost gate of the park, the one closest to the waterfront. 

The homeless man gave him a grateful smile. “Thanks, pal.” He patted his shoulder and Momo landed on it. “Are you ready? It’s a long walk. Longer than yesterday.” Momo chirruped. “Great!”

Despite the early hour, the streets were already chock-full of the strange metal things, honking just as loudly as ever.

Momo hissed at them and covered his ears.

Gommu cocked his head. “What? You ain’t never seen a Satomobile before?”

Momo huffed, still covering his ears.

“Woah.” Gommu’s eyes went wide. “You must be from the middle of nowhere.” He shrugged. “To be honest, I don’t like Satomobiles too. They’re real hayburners.”

Momo gave him a quizzical look. He didn’t understand half of what this guy said.  

“What?” Gommu frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Momo shook his head, deciding to drop it.

Gommu chuckled. “Don’t worry little buddy. We’ll be there before midday.”

An hour later, they arrived at a small pier in a quiet corner of the docks. A boat bobbed in the water next to it, and a hut sat at the water’s edge, smoke curling out of its chimney.

“This is where we split.” Gommu said sadly. “I’ll miss you, little buddy. If you ever need help, with, erm, anything in the city, come and find me. Most days, I’m in the park.”

Momo fluttered his ears and hugged him.

Gommu smiled and raised a hand, gently stroking him. “I mean it. If you ever need anything, come and find me. I know a lot of people in the underground community.  And I’m being literal. A lot of disadvantaged folks live underground, in the tunnels beneath Republic City.” He sighed. “Things weren’t always so bad. Most of us used to have jobs, homes, and families. I used to be a telegraph operator in the army...” He smacked himself lightly. “Sorry for rambling. You probably don’t want to hear me whine about how hard my life is.”

Momo grunted. He didn’t mind. Gommu had been so kind to him, kinder than anyone else in the city.

“Right, the ferry will open in an hour or so.” Gommu said. “You can either wait and sneak onboard or try and convince the ferryman to let you across. Personally, I’d wait. The ferryman is known for being, ah, rather grumpy.”

Momo nuzzled him and then flew on top of the hut.  

Gommu waved goodbye, then turned around, heading back into the city.  

Momo curled up and waited. And waited. And waited. Getting angry, he drifted down onto the street and glared at the door of the hut. He’d wasted enough time. He wasn’t going to waste any more. Jumping up, he hit it as hard as he could with his tail.  

Nothing happened.

He hit it again and again. Finally, someone yelled “I’m coming! I’m coming!” and he stepped back. The door was opened by a grouchy middle-aged man with grey hair and blue eyes.

“Wha- “The man stared at him. “Who are you?” His eyes were glassy and unfocused, and his breath reeked of alcohol.

Momo pointed at himself and then at the boat.

The man frowned in confusion. “W-what? Are you some sort of lost circus animal?”

Momo pointed at himself more frantically, jumping up and down and chittering.

“I-I I don’t know who you are. I can’t deal with this.” The man said, throwing his hands up into the air. “Little…monkey or whatever you are, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you. The ferry isn’t running today. Master Tenzin told me to stay away from the island.” He went back into his hut and slammed the door shut.

Momo lowered his arms, growling unhappily. What was he meant to do now?

He could try and fly to the island on his own, but it would be difficult. It was a fair distance away and the winds around the bay were strong. But…maybe he could get on a passing ship, and fly to it from there?

With renewed hope, he headed for a busier part of the docks, looking for a ship that was about to depart.

But…nothing was moving. All of the ships were stuck in their berths.

The docks were in chaos. A group of people, dressed in strange metal armour, were arguing with a large crowd of dockworkers and sailors.  

“Unfortunately, because of the break-in the previous day, we’ve had to extend our security checks.” An armoured man said.

His announcement was met with boos and curses.

“I’ve been stuck here for three hours!” A burly sailor shouted. “How long is this going to take?”

“We’re almost done. If you all could just have some patience- “

“Councilman Tarrlok wouldn’t have let this happen!” A loud voice rang out from the back of the crowd.

“Yeah! Fuck the police!” Another person yelled. Several people cheered, clapping aggressively.   

“Please, there’s no need for this- “The armoured man tried to pacify them.

“Fuck you too!”

Both sides started shouting shrilly at each other, expressions twisted in rage and consternation. Momo landed on a nearby rooftop and covered his ears. The din was louder than the horrific screeching of the Satomobiles.

He slumped to the ground and hugged his legs. He was exhausted…and even worse, getting hungry again. He didn’t want to be here. It was too loud. But he had to wait for a boat. One had to leave eventually.

But he didn’t have to wait here, he realised. He could find a quieter spot.

Forcing himself into the air, he flew onward, leaving the arguing mass behind him.

A golden glint caught his eye, and he turned his head.

There was a golden palace at the end of a long pier. It was so…shiny. He had to take a closer look at it.

Landing on one of the towers, he glanced around. Up close, the golden sheen wasn’t that impressive; in many places, it was cracked and peeling, exposing a dull white wall underneath. 

Momo huffed. He should continue on. Unfurling his wings and taking a deep breath, he suddenly caught a familiar, delicious scent that made his knees go weak.

Peering over the edge of the roof, he noticed that one of the tower’s windows was open.

Someone was cooking…eggs, aka boring human food. But that wasn’t what had caught his interest. He inhaled again, his mouth watering as he realised just how close the source of the scent was.  

Moist, dripping, flesh. Delicate and subtle and all too sweet.

A moon peach.

Air Temple Island was completely forgotten. He crawled over the edge of the roof, heading for the open window, and looked in.

The room had three occupants: two boys, and a small, strange, furry red creature that he had never seen before.

One boy, tall with black hair and amber eyes, was cooking, scrambling eggs in a small pan over a hot plate, while the other boy, shorter with black hair and green eyes, was playing with the creature, scratching its belly with one hand and laughing, while biting into a moon peach with the other

Momo braced himself. Hopefully, he could catch them off guard and grab the peach, then fly away before they could stop him. He screeched loudly and dove into the room, startling both boys and making the red creature wail.

The boy who was cooking dropped the pan, getting eggs all over the floor, while the other boy dropped the peach and scooped up his pet.

Momo landed and grabbed his prize, clutching it close. He couldn’t believe he was holding his favourite food. Finally, something in this strange world made sense.

“Pabu, no!” The green-eyed boy yelled.

“RAWR!”

Pabu twisted out of his owners’ arms and jumped on Momo, teeth and claws bared.

Momo curled around the peach and tried in vain to crawl away, but Pabu dug into his shoulder and bit into his neck, making him yelp in pain.

Suddenly, two arms grabbed the red menace and hauled him away.

Momo stayed curled up, only opening his eyes a tiny fraction to see what was going on.

“Bad Pabu!” The green-eyed boy chided his pet. Pabu stopped flailing and whimpered.

The amber-eyed boy came over. “Bolin! Is the other…animal, erm, okay?” He asked wearily, eyeing Momo.  

“Uhh?” Bolin poked Momo with his toe. “He’s not bleeding?”

The amber-eyed boy sighed and glanced at the scrambled mess on the floor. “Well, our breakfast is ruined.”

“Mako! That doesn’t matter!” Bolin said. “We’ve gotta help this guy. I’ve never seen anything like him before, and believe me, I know all the animals that live in Republic City.”

“Bolin, he’s not like Pabu.” Mako countered. “He’s a wild animal.”

“He’s not.”

“Well, if he’s not, he’s likely some lost pet. Which doesn’t really make him our problem.”

“Then we should bring him to a shelter.”

“Bolin, the nearest shelter is miles away! I don’t have time to look after him.” Mako snapped. “Besides, I don’t want him to scratch my eyes out.”

“He’s not gonna do that!” Bolin said angrily. “He’s just scared.”

Both of them started arguing, pointing fingers at one another.

Momo tensed. This was his chance. He slowly pressed his feet into the floor, preparing to spring into action.

Pabu noticed him moving and warbled a warning to his owners, but both of them ignored him.

Momo launched himself into the air, still holding onto the peach, and sailed towards the open window.

Mako’s eyes went wide. “Wait!” He yelled, reaching out towards him.  “I- “

Momo didn’t listen….and promptly crashed into the window, groaning as he slid down onto the floor

‘-closed it while you were fighting with Pabu,’ Mako finished lamely, lowering his arm.

Momo slowly got to his feet and tried to steady himself. The whole world was throbbing. Everything hurt.

‘Take Pabu!’ Bolin yelled, throwing his pet into his brother’s arms and running over to check on him.

Momo retreated into the nearest corner and hissed at him.  

Bolin pouted. “I want to help you. I’m not mad that you stole our food.”

Momo didn’t relax. Shaking his head, he quickly stuffed the peach into his mouth and swallowed it before Bolin could take it from him.  

“Bolin, we should let him out.” Mako said. In his arms, Pabu yowled in agreement.  

“But he’s lost.”

“He’s not our responsibility.” Mako huffed and pinched his nose. “I can’t believe this is happening…”

Bolin frowned at him for a moment, then grinned and ran to the other side of the room.

“Bro?”

“One second.” Bolin opened a cabinet and took out two items, before hurrying back.  

“Bolin- no.” Mako scoffed. “Don’t feed him. We’ve already wasted enough food.”

Momo raised his head, nostrils flaring hopefully.

“It’s not a waste.” Bolin muttered, cutting another moon peach into quarters with a knife. “Besides, these peaches came from that fruit seller that has a crush on you. It didn’t cost us anything.”

Mako scoffed. “She’s thirty years older than me!”

Bolin laughed, cutting two of the quarters into smaller pieces. “It means that we can always go back for more.”

“We can’t. I don’t like taking advantage of people.”

“Well, you accepted them from her.”

“She was so insistent about it. She wouldn’t let me say no.” Mako cringed, then took a deep breath and gave his brother a concerned look. “Bolin, I’m being serious. We can’t waste any more food. Our budget is tight enough as it is.”

“Mako…” Bolin handed him a quarter of the peach. “It’s okay.”

Mako sighed and popped the fruit into his mouth.

Bolin ate his own quarter and approached Momo, putting the other pieces on the floor in front of him before scooting back.

Momo eyed him suspiciously. Would he be grabbed if he came any closer? He’d been hurt enough today.

Bolin smiled brightly at him while Mako gave him a sceptical look. Pabu squeaked and glared at him, upset that his owners were paying attention to another animal.

Without taking his eyes off them, Momo uncurled and approached the fruit. Scooping up all the pieces, he retreated to his corner and ate them slowly, savouring the taste. Afterwards, he took a few steps forward and sat down in front of the two boys, making sure to stay out of arm’s reach.

“Hey there….” Bolin frowned. “Umm, sorry, but what are you?”

Momo huffed, giving him an unamused look.

“Well, it’s obvious that you’re some sort of flying creature.”  Bolin rambled. “You have a long tail, large ears, and bat-like wings. So, are you a cross between a monkey and a bat?”

Momo shook his head.

“Wait a second bro.” Mako said. “I think I know what this animal is.”

“You do?”

Mako nodded and gave Pabu to his brother, before rushing off to a small shelf on the other side of the apartment. “Give me a minute.”

Bolin nodded and then kneeled, holding out Pabu towards Momo. “This is my pet fire ferret, Pabu! I know the two of you didn’t have the best start, but maybe you can make up and be friends?”

Pabu growled, narrowing his eyes into slits and kicking out at Momo.

Momo lowered his head and chittered apologetically.

Pabu paused, blinking at him for a few moments, then yowled and flicked him in the face with his tail.

Momo took it as “I forgive you, but don’t you dare break into our home ever again.” He was happy to be forgiven. And, of course, he wouldn’t do it again. After all, Bolin had shared food with him.

“Right. I found it.” Mako announced, returning to them. He was leafing through a book.

“Found what?” Bolin asked, putting Pabu down on the floor, who immediately started running around in circles, chasing his tail. 

“It says here…” Mako cleared his throat. “After Avatar Aang left the South Pole to study the four elements, he found a flying lemur at the Southern Air Temple. The Lemur was called Momo and was then thought to be the last of his kind.”

Momo’s ears perked up. Why was he being mentioned in a book?

“But if they’re extinct, why is one in our apartment?” Bolin pointed out.

“I’m not finished.” Mako said, continuing to read. “Momo perished almost thirty years after the end of the Hundred Years War. His master, saddened at his passing, buried him at the Southern Air Temple. However, it turned out that Momo was the last of his species, but not the last of his kind. Subsequently, more flying lemurs, named “Ring-tailed flying lemurs” to differentiate them from Momo’s species, were found at the other Air Temples.” Mako tapped the page. “This must be our mystery animal. He’s a ring-tailed flying lemur.”

Momo grunted angrily, feeling affronted. He wasn’t dead! And he wasn’t a Ring-tailed flying lemur! He was a normal flying lemur!

“Huh?” Bolin said. “Why is he upset?”

“I dunno.” Mako said. “I’m not good at reading animals.”

“Well, Mako, we have to give him shelter.”

“Bolin…”

Bolin lowered his bottom lip and gave him gave him puppy dog eyes.

“Fine.” Mako huffed in annoyance. “But you’re feeding him and looking after him.”

“Yay!” Bolin whooped. “You’re the best Mako!”

“And this is only a temporary arrangement.”

“Sure, sure.”

There was a ringing noise from a clock on the wall.

Mako swore and dropped the book on a nearby table. “Bolin, we’re late!”

“Oh crap!”

“Let’s get going.” Mako said quickly. “After practice, I’ll have to work an extra shift at the factory. Otherwise, we won’t have enough money for food for this week.” He opened a hatch in the centre of the room, revealing a ladder.

“Mako…”

“We don’t have a choice bro.” Mako shook his head and hurried down the ladder.

 “I hate it when he overworks himself.” Bolin muttered, then took a deep breath and glanced at Momo and Pabu. “Right, you two, try not to destroy the apartment while we’re gone.” He rubbed the back of his head. “And…umm…flying lemur, how about I just call you Momo, like the flying lemur in the book?”

Momo nodded.   

Bolin chuckled. “Well, Momo, I guess I’ll take you out later and show you the market. I’m sure we can find you some affordable fruit somewhere.”

“Bolin! Come on!” Mako called.

“Coming!” Bolin yelled, shimmying down the ladder and closing the hatch behind him.

Momo and Pabu shared a look.

Pabu bobbed his head up and down and squeaked loudly, tail standing upright.

Momo took it as “Do you wanna play?”. He thought about it. He did need to go to Air Temple Island, but Mako and Bolin had shared food with him and were offering him shelter.  Which, in a chaotic mess of a city like this, was hard to believe.

Momo’s ears drooped. He wasn’t stupid. He knew that something had happened to him and that he was no longer in his own time. Aang might not have even followed him there. He could be stuck here alone with no way of getting back.

Pabu warbled, giving him a worried look.  

Momo took a deep breath and chittered reassuringly. Pabu calmed down. He shouldn’t panic. He just needed time to get his bearings. He could stay with Mako and Bolin for a few days, and then go to Air Temple Island. If anyone could help him, it would be the airbenders. However, in the meantime, it didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy himself. So, he smiled at the fire ferret and took off, circling lazily around the apartment.

Pabu yowled happily and chased after him.

It didn’t take them long to start knocking things over.

Chapter Text

*The day after the explosion*

The bathroom was dark and damp. The only source of light was a dim lightbulb dangling at the end of a wire from the ceiling. The once-white walls were smeared with dirt and other, more, dubious stains. And the less said about the facilities, the better.

Amon sighed and rubbed his face, staring at himself in the cracked mirror above the filthy sink. There were deep, dark circles under his eyes.

Something strange was going on. For the past few days, there had been an uncomfortable, almost sick, feeling in the pit of his stomach. He’d regularly experienced shivers and bouts of nausea. If it wasn’t for his ability to put up a stoic façade, his fellow equalists would’ve noticed his state of being and confronted him, out of concern, not suspicion.

He glared at his reflection. He knew what was causing his illness.

He’d always had a powerful connection to water, more powerful than any other waterbender he’d ever met. Except his brother.

He’d always hated it. It was a curse; one he’d had to endure for the sake of his cause.

But…it was almost like it was trying to tell him something. Signal to him that something…bad had just happened in the world.

Whatever. He thought. I can’t afford to be weak. I have to meet with Mr Sato…and introduce him to our new guests. He took a deep breath, straightened up, and put his mask back on.

Stepping out of the bathroom, he walked briskly to the control room, nodding at every Equalist he saw. He passed the barracks, the training centre, the garage, and many other rooms. The corridors of the compound were narrow and winding, lit up by innumerable lamps. It had taken a long time for his people to master the tunnels, but now it was like a second home to them.

The control room buzzed with activity. Equalists were typing frantically at desks, or operating radios as they co-ordinated with cells across the city. Others stood huddled in groups, pointing at maps of the city as they planned manoeuvres or discussed potential outpost locations. A few ran back and forth across the room, delivering messages or leaving for other parts of the base.

Two men looked up at him as he entered the room: his second in command, The Lieutenant, and their most important member, the man who was paying for their whole operation, Hiroshi Sato. They were standing over a table covered with papers.

“Lieutenant. Mr Sato.” Amon nodded at each of them as he joined them. He glanced at what they had been discussing: the diagrams for their new motorcycles.

“Amon.” Hiroshi said, gazing at him sharply. “Is this meeting really necessary?”

“It is.” Amon said, meeting the gaze of his Lieutenant. “A pressing matter has come up. Something concerning the explosion.”

“If this is about replacing the lost materials and supplies, I already sent you a memo about it.” Hiroshi sighed, crossing his arms. “We’ll replace them through an overland route. It’ll take longer and cost more, but as I told you when I first joined your cause, expenses don’t matter. No matter what it costs me, both monetarily…” He adjusted his glasses. “…and emotionally, I will see your plan through to the end. Benders are a menace. They should all be equalised.”

“Mr Sato, we think we’ve discovered who was responsible for the explosion.” Amon revealed, putting his hands behind his back and leaning forward. “A firebender.”

Hiroshi recoiled and then wrinkled his nose. “Vermin…who did it!?”

“A madman. He ran right into the warehouse and surprised our men while they were packing up.” Amon said, gesturing at the Lieutenant. “In fact, if it wasn’t for my second in command, he would’ve killed everyone.”

“You have my thanks.” Hiroshi said sincerely.

The Lieutenant grinned. “I can’t take all the credit. I had help.” He chuckled. “Rather unconventional help. From a stranger. Who ran into the warehouse seconds before the madman did. We took him down together.”

“Tell me what happened.” Hiroshi demanded.

“It’d be easier to show you.” Amon said. “This way- they’re both in the prison.” He signalled several Equalists to follow them.

They left the room and started walking further underground. The prison was at the very bottom of the compound.

“Why did you imprison the stranger?” Hiroshi asked as they turned a sharp corner. “I thought they had helped you?”

“Well…” The Lieutenant pursed his lips. “While they’re a civilian, there’s something…strange about them.”

“How so?”

“You’ll see when you meet them.” Amon said. “It’s not far now.”

After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at the prison. Aside from the madman and the stranger, there were no other prisoners. Amon anticipated that it would fill up quickly once they’d started their revolution.

It didn’t take them long to reach the stranger’s cell. She gazed at them through the bars as they came closer.

Hiroshi frowned. “She’s just a teenager!” 

“Appearances can be deceiving.” The Lieutenant said. “Believe me, she knows how to fight.”

Amon studied the girl, taking in her appearance.  

She regarded them with a calm expression, her blue eyes betraying no emotion. Her short brown hair was loose, and she wore a torn red dress, caked with dirt and grime. She had also lost one of her shoes. Only her hands were tied. Her legs were free.

Hiroshi peered at her closely. “Why is she dressed so oddly?”

“We don’t know. She hasn’t said anything. The only thing we know about her is that she’s a nonbender.” The Lieutenant said. 

“We want to figure out if she’s connected to the other prisoner.” Amon added.

“Well, if she’s not, you could always blindfold her and drop her off somewhere?” Hiroshi suggested. “She’s just a civilian. Her parents might be looking for her.”

Amon inclined his head. He knew Hiroshi was speaking from the perspective of a father. He loved his daughter, Asami, more than anything else in the entire world. She was the main reason he was supporting their revolution. He was doing it all for her.

“We could, but personally, I’m rather suspicious of her.” Amon said. “We don’t even know her name.”

“My name is Suki.” The girl answered suddenly. “May I ask, what year is it?”

All three of them stared at her. They hadn’t expected her to speak.

The Lieutenant frowned. “It’s 70 AW.”

Suki froze. “What?”

“It’s seventy years after the end of the Hundred Years War.” The Lieutenant explained. “A new calendar system was created to mark the beginning of a new era after the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai.”

“That…” Suki’s jaw dropped, and her eyes widened. “That…can’t be possible.”

“Where did you come from?” Amon pressed. “Who is that man that was chasing you?”

Suki gave him a panicked look, eyes darting all over the room. “I…I…”

“It’s okay.” Hiroshi said, almost soothingly. “He can’t hurt you.”

Suki took a deep breath and tried to pull herself together. “Th-thank you. I’m sorry, but I can’t remember his name. It’s all a blur. All that I remember is that we were picked up by a boat, we docked at a harbour, then he woke up and attacked me, and then I ran away.” She looked at the Lieutenant and smiled. “You were there! You helped me!”

“Yes. You ran into a warehouse.” The Lieutenant said. “You helped us defeat him.” He stared at her in suspicion. “Why are you dressed like some sort of old-fashioned street performer. Who are you?”

Suki’s face fell. “I…I don’t know. I can only remember my name.” She stared down at her clothing. “As for why I’m dressed like this…I think that I usually wear green.” She grimaced. “Why am I wearing red, and why does it make me feel so uncomfortable?”

“Red is the colour of the Fire Nation.” Hiroshi said, smiling at her. “And your clothing is about seventy years out of date.”

Suki shuddered. “Can I please have something else to wear?”

“That can be arranged.” Amon said carefully, keeping his voice low. “As long as you co-operate.” Under his mask, he narrowed his eyes at her. He wasn’t buying her whole “amnesia” act.

“I will.” Suki promised. “If I remember anything else, I’ll tell you.”

“Let’s move on.” Amon told his companions. “I am eager for Mr Sato to meet our other prisoner and witness him get his due comeuppance.”

They left Suki’s cell behind. Amon felt her eyes boring into his back until they turned the corner.

Hiroshi stared up at the ceiling, expression thoughtful. “The hatred and disgust in her tone…she really hates the Fire Nation.” He glanced at Amon. “Maybe, like us, she was hurt by a firebender?”

“She could just be acting.” Amon countered. “Pretending so that we lower our guard around her.”

“Perhaps.” Hiroshi conceded with a nod. “It would be best to keep an eye on her for now.”

“We will.” Amon scowled. “A very close eye.”

They walked all the way to the back of the prison, to a dark corner where the cells were smaller and had thicker bars.

What they saw made everyone freeze. Except for Amon and The Lieutenant.

In one of the cells, a man was strapped to a gurney, his limbs and torso tightly bound. His bedraggled, oily brown hair spread around his shoulders. He was shirtless, exposing his muscled but heavily scarred chest, and he wore a pair of fraying black and red trousers, torn in so many places that it was a wonder they were still in one piece. A mask was fastened over his lower face, preventing him from speaking or moving his head at all. Only his vibrant orange eyes were visible. They flashed when he caught sight of them, and he briefly growled behind the mask.

“It’s fireproof.” The Lieutenant said. “He can’t melt it.”

Hiroshi grunted in disgust. “This is the firebender that caused the explosion!”

“Yes. He killed many innocent people.” Amon said emotionlessly, gaze cold behind his mask. “I almost considered handing him over to the police, but he deserves far, far, worse.”

“He’s a nasty piece of work. He deserves to rot.” Hiroshi spat. “No wonder Suki was afraid of him.”

At the mention of Suki’s name, the firebender became agitated, thrashing in his restraints. He stopped after a few moments, breathing deeply through his nose and glaring at them with all his might. His gaze was so fierce, that a few of the Equalists stepped back, exchanging uncertain glances.

“There’s nothing to fear.” Amon assured them, then turned to his benefactor. “I think it’s time to equalise him, don’t you Mr Sato?”

Hiroshi chuckled gleefully. “It is.”

Amon entered the cell, slowly closing the door behind him. The firebender’s eyes followed his every movement. There was no fear in them, only hatred and anger. He had no idea what was about to happen to him.

It’ll be good to make an example of him. Amon thought, stepping forward and yanking back the firebender’s head. The firebender tried to shake him off, but Amon maintained an iron grip until he tired out.

Amon stared directly into his eyes. “You need to be punished for all the lives you’ve taken.” He raised his other hand and placed it into the firebender’s forehead, right above his chakra. “Bending is a scourge, and it needs to be destroyed. The day that bending is fully eradicated from this world, will be one of celebration.”

The firebender frowned in confusion.

Amon smirked and pressed down. It only took a few moments to disrupt the firebender’s chi and remove his bending. The firebender’s eyes went impossibly wide until his irises were just a thin band of orange.

Amon dropped his head and left the cell, nodding at a group of Equalists. “Release him from his restraints. Let’s see what he has to say for himself.”

They followed his instructions quickly, unshackling the firebender and removing the mask from his face, before hurrying out, leaving him no time to retaliate.  

The firebender groaned and fell forward, heaving and spitting out drool, before slowly staggering to his feet. He sneered at Amon and then punched towards him, trying to summon fire. Nothing happened. He flinched and stared at his hands with a bewildered expression.

Amon heard laughter behind him. He couldn’t help but smile. He loved it when benders lost their power and realised that they could no longer harm innocent people.  

“BE SILENT.” The firebender screamed. “I AM THE PHOENIX KING OZAI! HOW DARE YOU MOCK ME!” He glared at Amon. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?”

“I removed your bending.” Amon said righteously. “It’s the least you deserve for all the death and destruction you’ve wrought.”

Ozai went red with anger. “What is this madness? Where am I?”

“You’re in Republic City.”

Still angry, Ozai clenched his hands until his knuckles turned white. “You will pay for imprisoning and harming the Phoenix King!”

Hiroshi laughed and grinned at him mockingly. “You’re completely delusional You’re stuck seventy years in the past!”

“What?” Ozai muttered. “I demand that you tell me what is going on!”

“Avatar Aang and his friends defeated Fire Lord Ozai seventy years ago.” Hiroshi taunted him. “The Avatar removed his bending and then he was thrown into prison, where he died several decades later, unloved and forgotten. And now, you’re going to share his fate.”

Ozai opened and closed his mouth, expression changing from anger, to disbelief, to madness. He threw back his head and laughed, so hard that he doubled down and clutched his stomach. He continued until his breathing became haggard, then stopped, clenching his jaw tight and staring at the floor.  

Hiroshi didn’t let up.  “I’m sure your subjects miss you, Phoenix King. Your son- “He grimaced. “-even if he was a firebender, was a much better ruler than you”.

Ozai blinked listlessly at him, then stumbled to the back of his cell and sat down, facing the wall, refusing to acknowledge their presence any further.  

Hiroshi glared at him and spat through the bars. “We’re done here. Let’s leave this peace of shit to rot. He can die in prison for all I care.”

“I was just about to suggest the same thing.” Amon said. “Let’s return to the conference room and get back to business.”

With a final glance at Ozai, who was still motionless, Hiroshi nodded.

They made their way back to the front of the prison.

Amon frowned. His stomach lurched. Another bout of nausea was coming on. He took a deep breath and steeled himself. He paused by Suki’s cell. Everyone stopped with him.   

Suki raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll have someone bring some fresh clothing for you in a moment.” He said. “And they’ll untie your hands.”

“Thank you.” Suki said. “I’m sick and tired of wearing this dress.”

Amon almost said something else, then shook his head and started walking. Everyone hurried after him.

 “Why don’t we show Ozai to her?” Hiroshi suggested. “It may jog her memory.”

“No. There’s too much of a risk.” The Lieutenant disagreed.

“We’ll keep them separated for now, until we’ve figured out what’s going on. I don’t trust either of them.” Amon said.

“Me neither.” The Lieutenant scowled. “There’s something…off about them. I don’t quite know how to describe it.” He hesitated, biting his lower lip, and then continued to speak. “Suki’s clothing is very old-fashioned, and Ozai is stuck seventy years in the past. It’s almost like…they’ve time travelled from the end of the Hundred Years War.”

“I think Suki is just traumatised and Ozai is insane.” Hiroshi brushed off his concerns. “There’s no way that this ‘Ozai’ is really the deranged Fire Lord. And I don’t see how Suki fits into your theory.”

“Actually, Suki was the name of one of Avatar Aang’s friends. She was married to Councilman Sokka.”

“Still…time travel isn’t real. It’s both logically and physically impossible.” Hiroshi scoffed.

“I’m sure it is.” Amon muttered, almost grasping his stomach. The nauseous feeling was stronger now.

The Lieutenant gave him a concerned look. “Shall we take a break before we resume working?”

“No.” Amon said, shaking his head. “We need to keep going.” He gritted his teeth as another wave of pain overcame him. “Whatever happens.”

Chapter Text

“So, Pema, how has your pregnancy been going?” Kya said, trying to make light conversation.

“It’s been going well.” Pema smiled, rubbing her slightly protruding belly. “I just hope that I don’t have another airbender. Three are enough.”

“Hey! Don’t say that.” Ikki complained. “Airbenders are awesome!”

“I know.” Pema chuckled. “But I’d like to have just one kid who doesn’t constantly blow wind in my face.”

“I don’t blow wind at you.” Ikki yelled, throwing her arms up, unwittingly sending a small draft of air towards her mother, almost knocking her over.

Pema glared at her. Ikki lowered her arms sheepishly. “S-sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Pema assured her, straightening up her clothing and hair.

“Pema…” Kya said, nudging her head towards the two men sitting next to them. 

Pema followed her gaze and bit her lip.

Tenzin was staring at the floor, stony-faced, while Bumi whistled a random tune, gazing up at the ceiling.  

“Kids, why don’t you go outside and wait for us?” Kya suggested gently.

“What!” All three airbenders shrieked.

“But Uncle Bumi only just got here.” Jinora whined. “Why can’t we stay?”

“Hey, Jinora.” Bumi cut in smoothly. “I need to have a chat with your mum and dad and my sister. Only for a few minutes.” He grinned. “Then I’ll come out and tell you all an epic story.”

“Promise?” Jinora demanded. Behind her back, her siblings stared at him with serious expressions.

“I promise.” Bumi put a hand on his chest. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”

“Okay.” Jinora said. “We’ll be counting every second.” She nodded at her brother and sister, and they headed for the door.

“One, two, three…” Meelo started counting under his breath, screwing up his face when he got to ten. Jinora put a hand on his shoulder and led him outside.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Bumi exploded at Tenzin. “I can’t believe you tried to claim Aang as your son!”

Tenzin swallowed. “Bumi- “

“Don’t ‘Bumi’ me!” Bumi narrowed his eyes at him, voice trembling with fury. “It was a reckless, stupid, idea.” He pointed an accusing finger at his brother. “This is about Dad and his legacy, isn’t it?”

“No. It’s not that.” Tenzin murmured, shaking his head. “I’m worried about Aang. He’s just a kid and he’s going through so much.”

Kya and Pema gawked at them. They’d never seen the two brothers argue like this before.

“They’re all kids and they’re all going through a lot.” Bumi sneered. “Especially Sokka. We need to find Suki. I don’t want him to go through what our uncle went through. Losing his wife that way...it broke his heart.”

“He’s not our Uncle!”

“And Aang isn’t our Father!”

“I know that!” Tenzin seethed, turning crimson. “It’s why I- you don’t have any children. You don’t understand. You’ll never understand.”

“Well, I am a father now.” Bumi boasted, rubbing it in his face. “Aang’s father in fact”

Tenzin glared at him with all his might. “You’re not- “

“Will both of you just shut up!” Kya shouted. “You’re upsetting Pema.”

Pema, who was shaking and holding a hand to her mouth, nodded tersely. 

Bumi and Tenzin both deflated and mumbled apologies to her.

“Seriously, you’re worse than the kids.” Kya scoffed.  

“I’m going to go meditate.” Tenzin said angrily, rising from his seat. “I’ll see you all at dinner later.” He turned on his heel, sweeping his cape around, and strode from the room without a backward glance.

“There he goes, running away from his problems.” Bumi deadpanned. “He’s so pathetic.”

“Well, you were the one antagonizing him.” Kya pointed out.

Bumi winced, hunching down in his seat. “Sorry sis.”

Kya rolled her eyes and turned to Pema with a concerned expression, “Are you okay?”

“I am now.” Pema said, nodding gratefully. “I just…I don’t understand what’s gotten into him- Tenzin.”

“Me neither.”

“It’s Aang.” Bumi muttered. “He’s very protective of him.”

“Hmmm.” Kya frowned. “Whatever it is, it’s stressing him out.”

“Tenzin is always stressed. It’s his default mood.”

“Whatever it is, I’ll get it out of him eventually.” Pema said. “Now, can we please make up and move on. Why don’t we go see the kids?”

Bumi relaxed. “Of course. I owe them a story.”

Kya chuckled. “Let’s get going before Meelo barges in and yells at us for taking more than five minutes. You know he can’t count.”

--

Tenzin sighed and hugged his knees, glancing at his sleeping wife. It was almost time for them to wake up and face the day. Things had been a bit tense between them since the meeting with his siblings a week ago. Several times, he had tried and failed to explain to her why he was so oddly attached to Aang. Pema was both confused and concerned about his behaviour.

Most of the time, they had been able to pretend that everything was all right around their kids and Aang and his friends. Only Kya had figured out that something was wrong. She had given him several annoyed looks but hadn’t said anything.

He had tried not to spend too much time with Aang, but it’d been impossible not to. He saw the younger version of his father every day. Aang would seek him out to ask questions about the world, show him some airbending moves, or spend time with him and his kids.

Work was no better. Because Tarrlok could read him like a book, he suspected that something interesting was going on at Air Temple Island. Tenzin had had to fend him off several times. Heck, if he hadn’t shut down the ferry, then Tarrlok would’ve barged into his home and discovered everything. He couldn’t let that happen.

And today…well, they were finally heading for the South Pole. The trip would take them several days. He would be traveling in close quarters with Aang and his family. He was afraid that things would be awkward.

Pema groaned, slowly sitting up and blinking at him with bleary eyes. “Honey?”

“Go back to sleep dear.” Tenzin soothed her. “You still have half an hour or so.”

“Why aren’t you sleeping?” Pema frowned, ignoring his request.

Tenzin bit his lip. “It’s…” He opened and closed his mouth. He couldn’t finish the sentence.

“Tenzin, everything’s okay.” Pema smiled at him and took his hand. “I’m not angry or upset with you.”

“But I- “

“Everything’s okay.” She repeated. “I wish you had told me about your plans for Aang…but everyone coming back…it must be so difficult for you.” She squeezed his hand. “I just want you to relax and tell me at your own pace.”

Tenzin took a deep breath, returning the gesture. “It’s Aang.” He confessed. “When I first saw him, lying on the ground, he looked so weak, so fragile. Even before I knew it was him, I wanted to protect him. He’s a child of the Air Nation, which made him my responsibility.” He was rambling now, stumbling over his words. “And then the next day, when he woke up and was panicking about losing his bending, I comforted him. And I…I formed an attachment to him. I know I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t help it.”

“Oh, Tenzin…” Pema said sadly. 

“I’m sorry for not telling you about my plans. I…I really thought it would be all right.” Tenzin dropped her hand and gripped the bedsheets. “It was stupid. I should’ve told you.”

“It’s okay.” Pema said. “Just…in future, if any other lost airbenders appear, please consult me before you decide to adopt them, okay?”

Despite himself, Tenzin chuckled. “I will.” He looked at her and smiled. “I’ll never leave you out of the lurch again.”

“You didn’t leave me out of the lurch.” Pema scoffed and hugged him. “A child version of your dead father appeared. No wonder you freaked out.”

He hugged her back. They sat like that for a while, until the light outside of the window got too bright to ignore, and Tenzin sighed and reluctantly got up. “Time to start the day.”

Pema laughed.

Breakfast was a loud affair. His kids sat with Toph, Zuko, and Kya, chatting about the South Pole. Sokka wasn’t with them. Ever since he’d regained most of his mobility, he spent almost all his time in the library.

I should check up on him before we leave. Tenzin thought, shoving some vegetables into his mouth and returning to his conversation with Aang. Katara was talking to Pema about the Air Acolytes.

“Are we going to leave right after breakfast?” Aang asked anxiously.

“Not quite.” Tenzin said. “I need to do a final checkup around the temple and make sure everyone knows what they’re doing. It won’t take long.”

Aang nodded, his eyes flitting nervously around the room.  

“What is it?” Tenzin said, peering closely at him. “Is something wrong?”

“No!” Aang said, far too quickly. “Erm…I wanted to thank you for letting me go with you. You must’ve pulled a lot of strings to persuade the White Lotus to let me see Korra. I just…” He hesitated.

“Aang, whatever it is, just ask me. It’s okay.”

“Can…can Appa come with us?”

“I was going to take Oogi, because he’s used to the route, and he can carry everything we need.” Tenzin explained. “It would be impractical to take another bison. Why do you want to bring Appa?”

“I just…” Aang’s face fell. “I just reunited with him. I don’t want to be separated again from him so soon.”

Ah. He just wants to spend time with his oldest friend. How can I say no? Tenzin thought with a smile. “Sure, you can bring him.”

Aang blinked, as if unable to believe it, then grinned. “Thank you!”

“You’ll have to get him ready quickly though.” Tenzin warned. “I’m not going to wait around. I like being punctual.”

“I understand.” Aang nodded, standing up. “I’ll saddle him up right now.”

Tenzin frowned. Aang had barely touched his breakfast. “No. Sit down and finish your food.”

“But you said- “

“I didn’t mean right this second.” Tenzin huffed, feeling oddly paternal. “I meant after breakfast. We have plenty of time.”

“Oh.” Aang became flustered and sat back down, picking up his bowl and chopsticks. “Erm- I’m very eager to meet Korra.”

“I bet she’s eager to meet you too.” Tenzin said conversationally, wanting to move on from the awkward exchange.

“How long will it take us to fly south?”

“A few days. We’ll camp at several islands along the way.”

“Oh, so you’ve done this trip a lot.”

“I try to visit Korra at least once a year.”

The rest of the conversation passed by normally. They finished eating and Aang ran off to the bison cave while he went to the library.

Sokka sat at a large table, surrounded by scrolls, books, and maps of Republic City. He was stooped over a map of the bay, tracing the path of a river with a finger. An acolyte stood a few meters away from him, holding more scrolls, watching him with wide, starstruck, eyes.

Tenzin cleared his throat.

The acolyte whirled to face him, almost dropping what he was carrying. Sokka didn’t look up. “Hey, Tenzin.” He muttered.

“I came to check on you.” Tenzin said, giving the acolyte a disapproving look, making them wince and drop the scrolls on the table, before bowing and hurrying from the room.

“I’m okay.” Sokka shrugged, putting the map away and grabbing another one. “Just getting a lay of the land. Y’know, trying to figure out where my girlfriend could be.”

“Are you going to head out soon?” Tenzin asked, putting his hands behind his back.

“In a few days. As soon as I’m mobile enough.” Sokka finally raised his head and gave him a lopsided grin. “I can walk, but I can’t run. I want to be prepared for battle in case I need to fight anyone.”

“I don’t see why you would.”

“Suki is being held prisoner somewhere. I can feel it in my bones.” Sokka argued. “If I’m going to fight her captors, I’ll need to be in top physical condition.”

Unless she’s…well, I won’t bring up that possibility. Tenzin supressed a grimace. “Well, be careful.”

“I will.”

“Take Kya with you.”

“Why?” Sokka bit back, narrowing his eyes at him. “Why do I need a chaperone?”

“She knows this city better than you do.” Tenzin said, staring him down. “Republic City is massive. The first time you step into it, it’ll be very disorienting. I’m speaking from personal experience.” Sokka’s…teenageriness was beginning to get on his nerves. Sure, he was focused on saving Suki, but he could be a bit less gruff about it.

Sokka relented, lowering his head in apology. “Okay. I see your point. When I first venture into the city, I’ll take Kya with me.”

“We’ll be leaving in a few minutes.” Tenzin said. “Please come to the main square to see us off.”

“I will.” Sokka said sheepishly.

Tenzin nodded at him, then left the room. He had more important things to do. He went all over the island, checking on every acolyte, making sure they knew what to do while he was away. All of them were taken aback by his brusque attitude, but he snapped at them and told them to pay attention. He didn’t want anything to go wrong in his absence.

Finally, he returned to the dining room to check on his sister and the rest of Aang’s friends. Katara had joined their table. Pema and the kids had left, probably to finish packing.

Kya was talking animatedly about her journeys across the world. The others were listening with rapt attention, eyes wide with curiosity. Tenzin stayed back, watching the conversation.

“When I was younger, I actually recreated Aang’s journey.” Kya said, crossing her arms with a grin. “Kyoshi Island, Omashu, Agna Qel'a, The Si Wong desert….” Her eyes shone. “I stopped at every place you guys went to.”

“Did you really stop at every place?” Zuko asked, a sceptical note in his voice. “Because Aang and his friends went everywhere. I should know. I chased them.”

“Okay, I didn’t go to every place. I didn’t go to every small town or random island you guys stopped at.” Kya admitted. “But I went to every major location.”

“That makes more sense.” Zuko smirked, glancing at Katara. “Early on, you guys were terrible at navigating. You got lost so many times.” He laughed. “For a long time, I actually thought you were tactical geniuses. Trying to shake me off your tail.”

“Hey, we had never left the South Pole before!” Katara rebuffed him. “And if we hadn’t gotten lost, we wouldn’t have won the war. We had so many amazing adventures and met so many amazing people. They became our key allies and helped us defeat Ozai.”

“And I was one of them.”

“Exactly. Although we didn’t know you’d defect.” Katara said. “We fought you so many times…”

“Yeah. I’m not proud of how long I spent hunting you.” Zuko admitted, cringing at his mistakes.  

“Oh, will you get over it Sparky.” Toph complained, glaring at him. “I’m sick and tired of your whining.”

“I’m not- “Zuko went very red, then took a deep breath and calmed down. “- that’s fair.”

Everyone laughed. Tenzin felt himself grin. He didn’t want to interrupt them, but he had to. So, he loudly cleared his throat and stepped forward, making everyone stare at him.

“I’m going to get Oogi ready, and then we’re going to leave.” He announced. “It’ll take about fifteen to twenty minutes, so please make your way to the main square.”

“We’ll be there.” Katara said, smiling brightly at him.

“Don’t worry little brother, I won’t let you leave without a hug.” Kya snickered.

“I’m sure you won’t.” Tenzin deadpanned.

“Does Sokka know you’re going?” Zuko asked.

“He does. He’s currently in the library.”

Katara frowned. “I hope he’s not getting too absorbed in his research.”

“He just wants to find Suki.” Tenzin said. “The problem is, Republic City is a massive place, and she could be anywhere. If you want to cover enough ground, you’ll have to split up.”

“Well, we have time.”

“Kya is going to take Zuko and me to the Probending Arena the day after tomorrow.” Toph grinned, then pouted. “I wanted to go tomorrow, but she already promised to take Katara clothes shopping.”

“Well, I did offer to take you shopping some other time.” Kya said. “Frankly, I think you all need new clothing. You’re all dressed woefully out of date.”

“I don’t need new clothing.” Toph insisted, scowling at her. “I’m blind. I don’t care what I’m wearing. If other people can’t deal with my clothing being slightly old-fashioned, then that’s their problem.”

“All right. It was just an offer.” Kya raised her hands in a placating gesture and turned to Katara. “There’s a very good boutique in the Water District. It’s not too expensive and the clothing is amazing She started describing all sorts of designs and styles and Tenzin stepped away and tuned her out. Sometimes, she was too much for him.

Leaving the teenagers to suffer his sister, he went to the Bison cave to get Oogi. As he walked down the steps, he heard a voice and frowned. Rounding the final corner, he stopped, his heart melting at the sight in front of him.

Aang sat in the middle of the cave, surrounded by all the bison, including Appa and Oogi. He was telling them a story, grinning and gesturing with his hands. “My friends and I would have bison races all the time!” He exclaimed. “We’d race all over the temple! The older monks would get so mad!” His expression softened. “Except Gyatso. He loved racing with us.” He shook his head, not wanting to become too upset. “Anyway, wanna hear another story?”

All the bison flicked their ears and stomped their feet, making him laugh.

 “Aang, I think you’ve forgotten something.” Tenzin interrupted him. “Like getting Appa saddled and ready for the journey south?”

Aang winced. “Oh no! I completely forgot. I came down here and all the bison just looked at me. They wanted a story. I couldn’t say no. Then one story became two, then four, then six.”

“It’s okay.” Tenzin chuckled. “How about we get Oogi and Appa ready together?”

Aang grinned and leapt to his feet with a burst of air. “I’d love that!”

Together, they saddled the two bison and tied provisions, sleeping bags, and other essentials onto their backs. Then, they mounted up.  

“Why don’t you go first?” Tenzin nodded at Appa. “Everyone should be waiting at the main square by now.”

“Are you sure?”

“I am. I’ll be right behind you.”

“Thanks!” Aang said brightly and then flew out of the cave. Tenzin huffed, clutching Oogi’s reins tightly. What was he doing? Acting like a father to a younger version of his own father? It was completely crazy, and yet…he loved spending time with Aang. When the other airbender finally returned to his own world, it’d be painful for him. 

He took a deep breath and urged Oogi on. He couldn’t afford to get stuck in his thoughts. The bison rose in the air and flew through the opening, heading for the main square.

Aang had already disembarked from Appa. Tenzin landed a few meters behind him and jumped down from Oogi’s head.   

“I’m gonna miss you Aang.” Katara said, giving her best friend a hug.

“Katara…” Aang hugged her back. “Can I…speak to you for a moment? Just the two of us?”

Katara blushed. “Sure.”

Tenzin watched them walk away, hand in hand, then huffed and went to say goodbye to his sister. Pema and the kids were chatting to the rest of the gang. 

Kya slapped him on the back and grinned. “Mom and Dad are having a moment, huh?”

“Kya!” Tenzin went red.

“What?” Kya laughed. “I’m just teasing you Tenzin. Lighten up.”

Tenzin took a deep breath and rolled his eyes. “They aren’t our parents- “

Kya’s face fell. “I know that.” She said seriously, glaring at him. “What’s the matter, Tenzin? Why are you freaking out about Aang?”

“I’m not. Nothing’s wrong.” He protested, his voice straining. Spirits, he really was a terrible liar, wasn’t he?

“You upset Bumi.” Kya sighed. “And I know he upset you too.”

“He started it.” Tenzin grumbled.

Kya pinched her nose. “Spirits, why do I have to be the mature one here?”

“You? Being Mature?” Tenzin barked with disbelieving laughter. “You’re joking, right?”

“At the moment, I’m acting far more mature than you are.” Kya snapped, clenching her hands into fists. “I’m trying to mediate between my two idiot brothers, and while you’re away I am going to look after a bunch of teenagers. Not just ordinary teenagers, but teenage versions of Mom, our dead Uncle, and dear family friends.”

Tenzin stilled. She was right. He was being stupid. “I’m sorry Kya.” He murmured, hanging his head in shame. “This whole thing has been…so weird, so sudden, so confusing. And it’s- “He sighed. “It’s making me think about Dad and what he expected of me…but also, this Aang isn’t him. He’s a scared child from a war-torn world who abruptly arrived here in bizarre circumstances. He’s also an Airbender, which means, as I’m the head of the Air Nation, that he’s, my responsibility.”

“Tenzin.” Kya put a hand on his shoulder, making him look up. She wasn’t angry anymore. Her eyes were full of understanding. “I get it.” She said slowly. “You’re going through a lot. And you can’t deal with it. But Tenzin…you don’t have to do it alone. Bumi and I are here to help you. I wish I could say more, but you’re about to go on a trip. Don’t worry about things here. I’ll hold the fort while you’re away.”

“Thank you, Kya. We’ll talk when I get back.” Tenzin promised sincerely.

Kya chuckled. “Yeah, well, you owe me big time for this.”

“I do.”

“We’re back!” Aang announced, blushing heavily. Next to him, Katara was even more red. They weren’t holding hands anymore.

I think I knew what they were up to. Tenzin thought, a strange sense of embarrassment settling in his stomach. “Right, please say your final goodbyes and then we need to get going. We’ve wasted enough time.”

Aang nodded at him and went to say goodbye to the rest of his friends, while Katara came up to him and hugged him, making him freeze in shock.

She stepped back and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry to ambush you like that. I…I just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for us.”

Despite himself, he smiled back at her. “There’s no need to thank me for anything.”

“Tenzin…” Katara trailed off, glancing at Aang. “Before we part ways, can I ask you a favour?”

“Sure”

 “Keep an eye on Aang.” She said softly. “I’m worried about him.”

“I will.” He told her. “I promise.”

“Thank you.” Katara’s smile returned. “Right. I need to say goodbye to Pema and the kids.”

“And I need to say goodbye to the rest of your friends.”

They parted ways.

“I hope you guys have a good trip.” Zuko said.

“It’ll be a productive trip.” Tenzin nodded. “I’ll get Korra’s airbending training started. Hopefully, she’s a fast learner.”

Zuko coughed. “Err, I was actually referring to you catching up with your mother and spending time with your family.”

“Oh.” Tenzin blinked. “Er, yes. I’ll do that too.”

Toph threw back her head and roared with laughter.

Tenzin gave her an angry look, which only made her laugh harder. “Oh man, I wish I could go with you and meet Korra. I have a feeling that she’s going to annoy you so, so, much!”

Tenzin huffed in annoyance. “Please behave while I’m away. Don’t destroy the city.”

“I won’t destroy it.” Toph grinned. “Well, not all of it.”

She’s too much for me to deal with right now. Like a younger, more annoying version of Kya. Tenzin told himself. I need to get away. “Enjoy the probending match.” He said out loud.

“We will!” Toph jibed. “I bet I’ll have more fun than you!”

Tenzin huffed again and left before she made him say something stupid, returning to his family to make sure they were ready to depart.

As he got there, he saw Pema hand Aang a small bag. “I packed some things for you.” She explained. “A few books about airbender culture, some spare robes, and a bison whistle for Appa.”

“Oh, thank you.” Aang said graciously. “I erm…forgot that I needed to pack anything.”

“It’s okay.” Pema said. “We always travel light. If you need anything else, just ask.”

Tenzin couldn’t help but smile. I love Pema so, so much.

“I’ll miss you Aang.” Sokka said, hugging his friend closely. “It sucks that we have to be separated again so soon.”

“I’ll be back before you know it Sokka.” Aang returned the embrace.

“Dazzle em’ Twinkletoes.” Toph grinned at him. “Don’t let the White Lotus tell you what to do.”

“I won’t.” Aang laughed. He hugged her and then hugged Zuko.

“Aang, don’t let the pressure get to you.” The firebender told him.  

“Zuko…”

“You didn’t fail. You have nothing to apologise for.” Zuko stated, looking him in the eye. “We can’t blame ourselves for anything. We don’t know how or why we got here. The best we can do is try and get home. So, get Korra up to speed and help her learn airbending, but don’t freak out, okay?”

“I won’t.” Aang gave him a determined nod.

Tenzin looked around. Everyone had said their goodbyes. It was time to go. “Okay, everyone, It’s time for us to fly.”

“I wanna travel with Aang!” Jinora said suddenly. She paused and then smiled nervously at him. “If-if that’s okay?”

“I’d love that.” Aang said, smiling back at her.

“Oh! Oh! Can I go with them?” Ikki yelled, jumping up and down.

“If the girls are going, I wanna go too.” Meelo screamed, trying to be louder than his sister.

Jinora’s face fell. Tenzin intervened. “How about you travel with him in shifts? We stop every few hours anyway. You can switch then.” He nodded at his eldest daughter. “Jinora can go first because she asked first.”

“I’m going second.” Meelo declared, giving Ikki a taunting grin. “Smelly Ikki can go third.”

“I don’t smell.” Ikki complained. “And why do I have to be last?

 “It doesn’t matter who goes first.” Tenzin stressed. “You’ll all get equal time with him.”

“But- “

“Yeah, Ikki, it doesn’t matter.” Jinora interrupted her sister and smirked at her.  

“You’re a butt Jinora!”

Jinora’s expression turned to thunder. “Well, you’re a smelly butt!”

“Yeah!” Meelo echoed.

“Maybe none of you should fly with Aang.” Tenzin chided them. “If all you’re going to do is misbehave and argue about it.”

All three of his kids started protesting.

“Do you want to fly with Aang or not?” He asked pointedly.

All three of them shut up, though they didn’t look happy about it.

“Ikki, Meelo, why don’t you think of fun games we can play while we’re flying?” Pema told her two youngest children, steering them towards Oogi. Jinora went and clambered up on Appa.

“Is everything okay Aang?” Tenzin asked, giving him a worried look. “I’m sorry they were arguing. If you don’t like it, you can always travel by yourself.”

“I’m okay Tenzin.” Aang said. “I don’t like flying by myself anyway. I like having company.”

“Good.” Tenzin nodded. “It’ll take us most of the day to reach our destination. It’s an island in the middle of the Mo Ce Sea.” He smiled. “It’s where my father discovered the new species of bison. There are lots of other animals there. Ones that are found nowhere else in the entire world. It’s a fascinating place.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing it.” Aang perked up.

Tenzin chuckled. “Well then, let’s get going.”

They mounted their bison. Everyone waved to each other one last time. Tenzin cracked Oogi’s reins, and the bison slowly rose into the air.

“Yip! Yip!” Aang called out, following him a moment later. 

They flew for a few minutes and then Tenzin glanced behind him.

Jinora was busy chatting with Aang, and the airbender was listening intently, but there was a distant look in his eyes.

Tenzin turned back, feeling a heavy lump in his throat. Aang, I’m sorry I had to separate you from your friends so soon. We won’t be gone that long. I promise. He fixed his eye on the horizon and focused on flying.

Chapter Text

Reopening the docks had been a shitshow. It had taken hours to restore order and even longer to get the boats going. They had arrested several of the more violent protesters, holding them overnight to prevent further riots from breaking out.

At least everything is moving smoothly now. Lin thought as she entered her office, slamming the door shut behind her. No thanks to Tarrlok and his agitators. She stifled a yawn, feeling exhausted. Last night, she hadn’t gotten home until midnight. And now, eyeing the thick stack of papers on her desk with disdain, she had a full day of work to look forward to.

Cursing under her breath, Lin sat down, determined to get through it as quickly as possible.

The first item was a telegram from her sister.

Lin glared at it.

“Lin,

Why didn’t you contact me? I’m your sister! A younger version of our mother appeared, and you didn’t think I should know? Everyone in Zaofu is freaking out. As soon as I can, I’m coming to Republic City to help you sort things out.  

Lin grumbled, opened a drawer, and shoved the telegram inside. She’d deal with it later.  Grabbing the next item, she frowned. It wasn’t a document. It was today’s newspaper. She’d been so furious that she hadn’t noticed.

She glanced at the headline: Northern Water Tribe Chief Falls Into Coma after Return From “Spiritual Retreat”.

Lin crumpled it up and threw it into her wastepaper basket. At least Katara’s no longer on the front page. She thought. Now, I just have to keep the city from discovering the rest of our new arrivals.

Picking up another paper, she drummed her fingers against the wood of her desk and then rubbed the side of her head. A headache was coming on. I need coffee to deal with this. Lots of coffee. She stood up and stomped out.

The break room was deserted, aside from one person: her second in command, Saikhan. Mercifully, he had just finished brewing a pot.

“Thanks the Spirits.” Lin said. “Please, pour me a cup.”

“Chief!” Saikhan startled, almost dropping hot coffee all over himself. “I thought you were in your office!”

“I’ll return there in a moment.” Lin sighed. “I just need some fuel.”

“Sure,” Saikhan nodded, pouring a cup and handing it to her.

Lin stared at the mug. It was old and worn, just like her. Why am I relating to a mug? She frowned. Whatever. I’m just having an odd day. “How is the dock clean-up going?” She asked her subordinate, trying to distract herself from her stupid thoughts.

“It’s almost over.” Saikhan said, filling up his mug. “We’re just releasing the last few over-nighters and then we’ll be done.”

“So, the cells are almost empty?”

“Well, aside from a few triad members and common criminals.” Saikhan winced as if he’d suddenly recalled something unpleasant. “Oh and the rookie who betrayed us.”

“I’m interrogating him again later.” Lin said, swirling her coffee and staring at the circling liquid. “Along with the triad members he let in, including the one that injured my niece.”

Saikhan laughed. “Good luck with that. Even after a week, she’s still refusing to talk.”

“I’ll make her talk.”

“I bet you will.”

Lin grunted. “Well, I’d better get back to it.”

Saikhan laughed again. “Rather you than me.”

Lin returned to her office. It took her all morning to get through the mountain of paperwork. It was even more dreary and boring than she thought it would be. After a short, unsatisfactory, lunch, she went to the basement for her afternoon interrogations.

The rookie didn’t have anything new to say. He just blubbered and apologised over and over again, claiming that he’d needed the money the triad had offered him to pay off his mother’s medical bills. Lin just scoffed and sent him back to his cell. She didn’t have any sympathy for traitors. They deserved to rot.

She interviewed the triad members next. Earlier in the week, they had spilled the beans about why they had gone to the docks.

Shady Shin, their leader, had ordered them to steal shipping manifests, warehouse inventories, and other important papers so that he could plan future heists on industrial companies.  

It turned out that Republic City had a thriving black market for illegal fuel trading. Lin immediately linked it to the illegal races in the tunnels underneath the city.

“So, you don’t know anything else?” She snapped at the bald earthbender, narrowing her eyes at him in irritation. She had forgotten his name. It wasn’t important. He wasn’t a danger to her. Both his hands and feet were shackled. It was common practice when interviewing benders who were known criminals.

“N-no.” The earthbender shook his head, getting flustered. “Our boss didn’t tell us much. It was meant to be a quick job. Get in, steal what we could, and then get out. We didn’t expect those two girls.” He cringed. “We didn’t expect em’ to take us out so fast. Only Yi was able to surprise em’.”

Yi is the girl who injured Toph. Lin thought stormily. “Right. We’re done here.” She called for two officers. “Take the earthbender back to his cell.” She told one of them and then nodded at the other. “The girl- Yi, please bring her here. And get someone to bring the apparatus from the evidence room. The one she wore under her sleeve.”

After they had left, Lin leaned back in her chair and pressed her lips together. She’d already interrogated the firebender and waterbender. Neither of them had had any new information. Yi was the last person she had to talk to.

An officer returned with the apparatus and gave it to her. Lin turned it over in her hands. It was a copper tube, long and thin, but very sturdy. There was a hatch on the back, and it was connected to a small wrist strap.

Another officer returned with Yi. Like the bald earthbender, her hands and feet were shackled. She gave Lin a little wave and smiled warmly at her as if she was an old friend she hadn’t seen in years. “Hello, Chief.” She said, sickeningly sweet, sliding into her seat.  

Lin scowled at her, her upper lip curling into a sneer. “Hello, troublemaker.”

Yi scoffed. “I have a name you know.”

“I’ll call you whatever I like.” Lin said. She held up the apparatus. “Where did you get this?”

Yi shook her head. “I’m not going to tell you.”

“Fine.” Lin muttered. “Then, I guess you don’t care about it?” She slammed it into the table.  

“Be careful with that!” Yi snapped, glaring at her. “It’s delicate! I-I made it myself!”

“How cute.” Lin snarked. “You like tinkering with things.”

“I don’t-” Yi grimaced and put her hands on her lap, refusing to say anything else.

Lin huffed and raised the apparatus into the air with her metalbending. “Tell me everything you know, or I’ll destroy it.”

Yi stared at the wall, refusing to meet her gaze. “I assume the others have already told you all about our plans. We were tasked to steal information, not goods.”

“They have.”

She snickered. “They crack easily.”

“There must be more.” Lin insisted, curling her fingers. The apparatus started to groan, threatening to come apart.

“I don’t know anything.” Yi said, giving her a desperate look. “No more than what the others know. We were all given the same mission.”

“Tell me about this thing.” Lin demanded, almost growling. “What is it?”

Yi’s mouth quirked. “It’s a copper pipe.”

“Don’t play smart with me.” Lin said. “Or I’ll destroy your toy.”

“It’s not a toy- “

“Tell me what it is! And tell me what the projectiles are made of!” Lin demanded. “You used it to hurt someone!”

Yi hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath. “I made it myself. I use small metal balls, made of aluminium, and cover them in a thin layer of earth so I can ‘technically’ bend them. The balls are so delicate that they are destroyed on impact.”  

“Ah. So you can’t metalbend.”

“You know I can’t.” Yi frowned. “Only cops can. Why are you taking this so personally-oh.” She froze, her eyes going wide, and then she fixed Lin with a triumphant look. “I just realised something… I bet cops teach their relatives metalbending. It must be a family secret. A rich privilege.” She leaned back in her chair and smirked.  “Is that little girl I hurt, okay? Did she go crying home to mommy?”

“She’s none of your concern.” Lin felt a vein pop in her forehead. It took all her restraint not to slam the apparatus into Yi’s face. “Tell me why you were in the docks.”

“So, she is related to you.” Yi laughed. “But you can’t be her mother because you’re a loveless bitch so I’m guessing she’s your niece.”

“Tell me why you were in the docks.” Lin repeated, ignoring her.

“I’m sorry. You’ve already used up all your free questions.” Yi shut her mouth and made a locking motion in front of it, then threw away an imaginary key.

Lin hit the table, breathing deeply. She had lost her way in the interrogation.

Yi chuckled behind her mouth, happy to have struck a nerve.

Lin glared at her and flicked her wrist. The apparatus was wrenched apart in one smooth motion. 

Yi’s eyes flashed with anger, and then she shrugged, pretending to be nonchalant.

“Put her back in her cell.” Lin barked at the officers, before striding from the room and returning to her office. She was so preoccupied that she completely forgot about the telegram from her sister.

The week went by in a blur.

Multiple journalists showed up, trying to get an interview with her, but Lin sent them all away. The triad members were sent to prison, except for the girl. Lin decided to keep her in the holding cells, let her stew until she was ready to give answers. She would make her pay for hurting Toph.

At the end of the week, after a long, gruelling day at work, she came home and found someone sitting on her doorstep, someone she had never wanted to see ever again

“Lin.” Suyin said curtly. There were deep bags under her eyes and her hair was a mess.

“Suyin.” Lin seethed, gnashing her teeth. “What are you doing here?”

“I sent you a telegram a week ago.” Suyin sighed. “I knew you wouldn’t read it if I sent it to your home, so I sent it to the police station instead.”

“Okay.” Lin felt awkward now. “Why do you look so shaken up?”

“Things happened.” Suyin frowned, clutching her bag. “Things that didn’t make any sense.”

“Stop being so elusive.”

“Well, you hid Toph’s appearance from me.” Suyin pointed out. “I think I’ve earned the right to be a little elusive.”

“Suyin!” Lin said angrily. “Get on with it.”

“Oh no. I’m not telling you anything until you tell me everything about Toph and her friends first.” Suyin demanded, giving her a defiant look.

Lin countered it with a nasty glare of her own.

Suyin didn’t back down. Instead, her expression became even more intense, even more challenging.

“Fine.” Lin said, clenching her jaw. “But I’m not letting you stay here. You’ll have to find a hotel.”

“Okay sis-Lin.” Suyin agreed, nodding at her. Her face was carefully composed, but her voice was full of sadness. Lin didn’t care.

They went up to her apartment and entered her living room. Suyin sat at one end of the couch, quietly staring at the floor, while Lin sat at the other, arms crossed, her mouth set into a grim line.

There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Lin exhaled through her nose and forced herself to start talking. “The younger Toph is fine. In fact, everyone is fine. Tenzin and I took care of it. You have nothing to worry about. That’s all. Now, tell me what you’ve been up to.”

“Lin.” Suyin said, huffing in annoyance. “Tell me what happened.”

“I’ll start from the beginning.” Lin relented. She told Suyin about her discovery of Toph, the explosion, and the incident at the docks. As she finished speaking, she braced herself. She knew what was coming.

“You let Toph- a child, run off on her own?” Suyin yelled, gritting her teeth in anger. “And she got injured!?”

“I didn’t let her run off.” Lin snapped, feeling affronted. “You know what our mother is like. Now imagine a youthful, brash, and even more headstrong version of her. If her mind is set on something, she’ll do it. No one can tell her what to do”

Suyin sagged a little. “How bad is her injury?”

“Katara healed her in time. There’s no permanent damage.” Lin scoffed and pointed at her own facial scar. “It’s nothing like this. You can only see Toph’s scar if the light catches it.”

“Lin…” Suyin shook her head, refusing to get distracted. “You still shouldn’t have let her run off, but…I get that Mom- any version of her- can be a handful.” She let her shoulders drop fully. “Let’s move on. I’m not going to argue with you.”

“Oh, right, because that stopped you in the past.” Lin chuckled sarcastically.

“Don’t- I haven’t seen you in nearly thirty years-”

“I don’t regret it.” Lin said sharply. “In fact, I’d wish you’d never come.”

“Please, Lin.” Suyin pinched her brow, slowly breathing in and out in an effort to remain calm.  “Can’t we just have a civil conversation? This is important!”

“As much as I hate to admit it, you’re right.” Lin said sombrely. “Let’s just get this over with. The sooner we finish talking, the sooner you can leave. Finish asking your questions, and then answer mine.”

Suyin nodded. “Have you spoken to Zuko and Sokka yet?”

“No.” Lin replied. “Tenzin closed the ferry service to Air Temple Island until he’s returned from the South Pole.” She frowned. “I’m not really sure he has the authority to do that. The ferryman is a municipal employee, paid by the city.”

“So, we can’t even go to the island to meet them?”

“No.” Lin confirmed. “But I can send them a message, have them come over to meet us.”

“Well, we have no other choice.” Suyin said, lowering her eyes and looking crestfallen. “I can only stay here for a few days, then I need to return to Zaofu.”

“How inconvenient.”

Suyin huffed. “What are they doing now?”

“Looking for their lost friend.” Lin said. “Suki.”

“I never met her.” Suyin smiled sadly.

“I did.” Lin murmured, losing some of her anger. “A few times. When I was a child. I can barely remember her. I saw her just before the end. You were too young. She was- “She coughed. “Let’s not talk about it. Do you have any other questions?”

“I have a lot of questions.” Suyin chuckled. “But if I asked all of them now, then we’d be here for hours, and you’d get irritated and throw me out. So, I’ll only ask a few.”

“Good idea.”

“Right. How is…how is Tenzin holding up? He must be struggling.”

“Tenzin is Tenzin.” Lin admitted. “He’s beyond stressed at the moment. But he’s strong. And he’s an airbender. He’ll get through it.”

“I’m worried about him.” Suyin said. “He had such a difficult relationship with his father and his siblings...” She took a deep breath. “How are Pema and the kids doing?”

“The kids love Aang.” Lin blew some hair out of her face. “Pema is… also struggling, having a whole bunch of new arrivals to look after. But she’s also strong. She’s given birth to three children and is expecting another. She’ll support Tenzin and he’ll support her.”

“I’m glad. I hope their trip to the South Pole goes well.” Suyin smiled. “Who’s looking after the rest of the gang while they’re away?”

“Kya.”

“Oh, she hasn’t been to Republic City in quite some time.”

“Yes.” Lin said gruffly. “I’m glad she’s here. She’s better at handling shit than Tenzin is.”

“Well, you can team up with her while he’s away.” Suyin laughed. “Help her deal with the gang and help them find Suki and Momo. Do you have any idea where they could be?”

“No.” Lin muttered. “Although, I bet that Sokka will find his girlfriend before I do.”

“What about the incident at the docks? What were the Triple Threat triad members doing there?”

“They claimed they were sent in to steal information. But I don’t believe that’s the full story.” Lin explained. “I’ve sent the other benders to the main prison but kept the girl in the precinct. Hopefully, after a week on her own, she’ll spill the beans when I next interrogate her.”

Suyin frowned. “Lin, I know she hurt Toph but there’s no point in being so vindictive- “

“I’m not ‘being vindictive’.” Lin snorted, glaring sharply at her. “You’re not a cop. I’m a cop. And I know how to do my job, thank you very much.”

“Okay, okay.” Suyin said, backing down. “I don’t have any more questions. So…ask away.”

“What are you so shaken up about?” Lin asked pointedly. “Why did it take you so long to get here?”

“I saw Mom.” Suyin confessed, voice trembling slightly.

“Ah, so she finally crawled out of whatever hole she was hiding in to visit one of her daughters.” Lin laughed bitterly

“No.” Suyin glared at her. “It wasn’t like that. She was with Zuko. The retired Fire Lord.”

“Are they dating?” Lin joked.

“No. Stop it Lin.” Suyin shook her head. “It was serious. Something’s wrong with the spirit swamp.”

“Spirit swamp?” Lin raised an eyebrow.

“The one that Aang- our Aang- “Suyin bit her lip. “-both of them I guess, visited during their travels. It’s a hub of spiritual activity. Mom’s been living there. Zuko paid her a visit. They poked around the whole swamp for a week, trying to figure out what was wrong, but they couldn’t find anything.”

“What happened?”

“Mom didn’t know. All she said was that things had abruptly changed in the swamp. That some of the spirits had gone quiet.” Suyin brought her hands together and twiddled her thumbs, an anxious look on her face. “She wasn’t scared. Mom is never scared. But she was unsettled.”

Lin furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand.”

“Neither do I.” Suyin said, hunching her shoulders. “They only visited Zaofu for a few minutes, then they took off on Zuko’s dragon. Toph wanted to visit other spiritual places, to see if anything else was wrong. Even so, she said it could take weeks before they were sure of anything.”

“Do you think it has something to do with the arrival of Aang and his friends?”

Suyin laughed dryly. “I’d bet on it.”

Lin rubbed her face and then thumped her coffee table, making her sister jump. “Of course! This fucking situation keeps getting worse and worse!” She tensed up, her whole body shaking with anger.

“Lin, do you need anything?” Suyin pressed, giving her a worried look.

“I need to be alone.” Lin muttered. “Leave.”

“Lin- “

“Leave. Find a hotel.” Lin said, then facepalmed and sighed. “Suyin, I’ll figure something out with Kya. It’ll likely take a day or two to organize things, but then we can see Toph and the others together, okay?”

Suyin gave her another worried look, then nodded and hurried out of the apartment.

Lin stared at the dent in her coffee table, then harrumphed and got up to draw a bath. She needed time to calm down and process things. Like the fact that the entire fucking world might be ending.

Chapter Text

Suki shivered, her teeth chattering as she rubbed her arms in a vain attempt to warm her body.

The Equalist prison was fucking cold. It almost made her miss the Boiling Rock, because at least there you wouldn’t freeze to death. Oh, and you could talk to other prisoners. And go outside. And not be transported across time and space.

She took a deep breath and pulled the blanket tighter around herself. The clothing the guards had given her wasn’t really adequate for the low temperatures of the underground prison. A simple shirt and some pants. They were several sizes too big for her.

The past week had passed agonizingly slowly. And coldly. She was afraid she’d get sick.

She had no idea where she was, but she had a good idea of when she was.

Seventy years in the future. And she’d become the prisoner of some sort of underground anti-bending movement.

All she had was her wits. Nothing else. And the best plan she had come up with was feigning amnesia.

She couldn’t let the Equalists discover the truth about her.  She was certain that Sokka and the others had followed her there. If the Equalists found out about them, there was no telling what they’d do.

As for Ozai…

She shivered again. And not because of the temperature.

The Equalists had done something to him. They spoke about the former Fire Lord as if he were some sort of joke, and that Amon had “taken care” of him. She didn’t want her friends to be “taken care” of in the same way.

You need to distract yourself Suki. Learn all you can about this strange future. She took a deep breath and returned to her book.

The guards had been kind enough to give her some reading materials: a few historical novels and some “magazines” aka leaflets made of thin paper. From perusing them, she had learned much about the current state of the world and some information about the future versions of her friends. She knew who was still alive, and who was dead, but there’d been nothing about what had happened to the future version of herself.

*Shuffle* *Shuffle* 

Suki put down her book and braced herself, defiantly raising her head. Someone was coming around the corner.

A guard approached her cell, holding a bundle under one arm, and waving at her with the other. “Hey!” He said, voice bright. “I brought you a coat. Sorry that it took so long. I had to get the Lieutenant’s approval.”

Suki forced a smile onto her face. “Thank you.” She said with faux cheerfulness. 

The guard pushed the coat through the bars. She grabbed it and threw it on. It was way too big for her, but it was very warm.

“Have you remembered anything else?” The guard asked softly.

“No. It’s all still a blur.” She lied.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll remember soon.” The guard sounded cheerful, but she couldn’t see his facial expression to see if he suspected her of lying or not. “I’ll bring your dinner later.” He turned on his heel and started walking away.

“Wait!” She called out.

He hurried back. “Yes?”

“The other prisoner…what happened to him?”

The guard stiffened. “You know that I can’t tell you that. Amon instructed me not to.”

“Anything?” Suki pleaded, making her voice weak and sad and giving the guard a wide-eyed doe look.

The guard squirmed. “Well…I can tell you that his bending was removed.”

“His bending was removed?” Suki frowned in confusion. That’s impossible. You can’t remove someone’s bending.

“I’m telling the truth.” The guard said, getting defensive. “Amon did it. He’s blessed by the spirits. They gave him a special power- to strip people of their bending to make the world equal.”

That sounds like a load of ostrich horse shit. Suki thought. But she didn’t dare say it out loud. It was obvious the guard held Amon in high esteem. She needed to endear herself to him, not alienate him.

“Really?” She said instead, injecting a note of wonder and awe into her voice.

“Yes, really.” The guard nodded. “After we launch our revolution, we’ll equalise the whole world!”

Suki bit her cheek. “Won’t the Avatar try and stop him?”

“Oh, no, no, no.” The guard laughed. “That won’t happen. The Avatar hasn’t been seen in years, not since they reincarnated. Amon thinks they’re hidden somewhere, guarded closely by the White Lotus.”

“White lotus?” She cocked her head, trying to appear confused. “What’s that?”

“Erm. Well…they’re the Avatar’s caretakers.” The guard explained. “They find em’, look after em’ train em’. Etcetera.” He waved a hand. “The new Avatar is probably in some spiritsforsaken corner of the earth, learning the elements and…apart from that, I-I dunno what Avatars learn.”

“Maybe they learn about the spirits?” Suki suggested helpfully.

The guard recoiled. “Why would they do that?”

“I thought that’s what the Avatar does.” Suki murmured. “They keep the peace between humans and spirits.” I thought that was obvious. Why are people in the future so uneducated?

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The guard cocked his head. “Unless…maybe that’s why Amon gained his abilities? The Spirits are so sick and tired of the Avatar not doing their job, that they reached out to an ordinary man and empowered him to equalise the world?”

Suki resisted the urge to face-palm. This guard was either ignorant or a complete idiot. “That makes perfect sense.” She said, pretending to agree.  

“I’m glad that we had this conversation! I love learning new things!” The guard exclaimed. “I have to do the rest of my rounds, but do you wanna stretch your legs quickly?”

Suki nodded.

The guard unlocked her cell and stood back as she came out. “Remember, we’re just going around the block.”

Suki shrugged. “It’s not like I have anywhere else to be.”

The guard chuckled sombrely.

As they walked around the prison, Suki let her mind wander, remembering her arrival to this strange new world…

The sea loomed before her, dizzying waves of vibrant indigo and blue.

Suki groaned. The world was moving. Up and down and side to side.

She tried to lift her head, only for her vision to blur as everything erupted in pain. She dropped back down and shut her eyes, biting her lip and almost drawing blood.  

Someone yelled. Far away. It was unintelligible.

The water shifted around her.

Waterbender. She realised with a frown. What are they-

Someone clambered up onto the debris next to her and picked her up, throwing her over their shoulder.

As the water shifted again, she groaned. Everything was moving. Over and over.  

She blacked out.

Suki’s eyes shot open. It was dark. The only light was a small lamp in the corner of the room. She was lying on something warm and soft- a bed. But she couldn’t afford to rest. Something had happened to her and her friends. Something bad.

She tried to move, only to collapse with a groan. Her whole body ached. And her head…it felt like someone was trying to drill a hole into it.

Someone came into view. A tall man with blue-green eyes. He wore a white fur hood, and his clothing was grey-blue. He smiled at her. “Hey! You’re awake.”

Suki tried to speak, only to start coughing from the sudden intake of breath.

“Woah.” The man helped her sit up and thumped her on the back. Eventually, the coughing stopped. “Everything’s going to be okay. We’ll be in Republic City within the next few hours.” He paused. “Do you want some food?”

She managed a weak nod.

The man left for a few minutes, returning with a bowl and a cup.

She inhaled through her nose. It was soup. Vegetable soup.

The man fed her and gave her some water. “I just need to do a quick checkup.” He said. “Then I’ll leave you to rest.”

She nodded again.

He checked her over, even healing her with some water, before turning away and leaving the room.  

She huffed and fell back asleep.

And slept. And slept.

*THUMP*

Suki woke up, eyes roaming around the room. She was still weak and couldn’t move all that much.

Someone had thrown open the door. Two men. They had a stretcher.

They picked her up and carried her to the front of the ship. People were talking around her. Loudly. But she tuned them out.

The ship was slowing down. They were entering port.

They put her next to another stretcher. The other person was unconscious, but she recognised them immediately.

Her heart quickened.

It was Ozai.

Would he hurt her? Would he-

Suki struggled to her feet, stumbling across the deck in a futile effort to escape her nemesis. A pair of strong arms gently seized her and put her back on the stretcher. She lashed out, her feet kicking the air.

“Woah, it’s me.” A familiar voice said. She looked up and met a pair of green-blue eyes, their gaze heavy with concern. It was the waterbender.

Suki stopped fighting, letting him lay her back down. “I need to get away from him.” She said, motioning towards Ozai.

“We just found him in some wreckage closer to the harbour.” The waterbender told her. “He hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”

Suki huffed and sat up. Her body spasmed with pain at the abrupt movement, but she gritted her teeth and endured it. She couldn’t afford to lower her guard with Ozai around. “He’s a monster. You need to restrain him.”

“Hey,” The waterbender soothed her with a smile. Suki scoffed. It was obvious that he didn’t believe her. “Once, we’ve unloaded some cargo, we’ll get you both to a hospital, then we can sort everything out, okay?”

Suki shook her head. “N-no. You don’t understand- “

“Just lie back and rest.” The Waterbender said, using the authoritative tone of a healer.

Suki huffed and crossed her arms.

The Waterbender tried to stare her down, but she didn’t budge. “Fine.” He muttered, taking something out of a little pouch on his belt. It was a small bottle filled with a cloudy liquid. “Drink this at least. It’ll make you feel better. It’s my own blend.”

Suki uncorked the bottle and sniffed the contents. It made her gag. It smelled horrible, like a mix of oil and flowers.

“Trust me.” The Waterbender said wryly. “If I had wanted to poison you, I’d have done it by now.”

Suki paused for a moment, mulling over his words, then took a deep breath and tipped the mixture down her throat. It tasted just as bad it had smelled but she swallowed it quickly, coughing several times.

The Waterbender gave her a sympathetic look. “As foul as it tastes, you should feel better in a few minutes.”

“I hope so.” Suki muttered, lying back down.

The boat stopped. A gangplank was lowered. People started moving things off the ship, carrying crates and large metal containers.  

As time went on, Suki’s vision cleared, and her head stopped throbbing. She took a deep breath and stood up slowly.  

The waterbender extended an arm towards her, but she waved him off.  “I’m fine. I don’t need your help. I’ve been in tougher situations than this.”

“Are you sure?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Yes.” She said quickly. “Just give me a few minutes.” She stared at Ozai. His eyelids were fluttering. He would wake up sooner than later. She shook her head and walked forward, gripping the railing of the ship and breathing deeply.

The waterbender followed her, glancing uncertainly back at the sleeping firebender. “Is he…really a monster?”

“Yes.” She muttered, staring at her feet. “He’s a monster.” Just a few more minutes Suki, and then you can make a break for it and get away from him. She squeezed the railing tightly.

“Woah, Woah.” The Waterbender frowned at her. “The medicine is only a temporary relief. You can’t push yourself too much.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’ll be the judge of that- “

“I said that I’m fine.” She snapped, staring out into the harbour. What she saw made her freeze. It was…like she had entered another world. The harbour was alive with people. And machines. Far more advanced than anything she had ever seen before. “Where am I?”

“This is Republic City. The capital of- “

*Whoosh”

Suki felt a familiar heat and instinctively fell to the floor. A ball of fire slammed into the Waterbender, knocking him off his feet and sending him screaming into the harbour, where he hit the ground with a sickening crunch.

Suki didn’t wait. She scrambled to her feet and took off down the deck as Ozai howled in rage behind her. She zigzagged, dodging fireballs that scorched the wood and metal around her. She saw an open doorway and leapt through it, descending into the bowels of the ship.

Ozai was hot on her heels, still throwing fire. She tried to lose him, passing by past several wide-eyed sailors, but ended up getting lost herself in the labyrinthine corridors. Before she knew it, she was right back at the door she had entered. Frustrated, she ran out again, determined to find a way off the ship.

The gangplank came into view. Thankfully, it was deserted. Suki shot down it as fast as she could, throwing herself into the crowd of sailors at the bottom. There were startled gasps and shouts around her, but she ignored them and kept running. Once the adrenaline wore off, Ozai would catch up to her, and unless she could put a good distance between them, he would kill her. 

A large ball of fire whizzed over her head. She pivoted and veered right, heading for a group of strange buildings.  

“YOU!” Ozai screeched from the bottom of the gangplank. “I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!” Smoke was rising from the ship behind him. She could hear frantic screams in the distance.

Suki ran into an alleyway between two of the buildings. She needed to lose Ozai, find shelter, and figure out where she was. She turned a corner, and then another, until she finally saw a door.

She grabbed the handle and pulled. It didn’t open. She ran to the next one and did the same. It didn’t budge.  She ran on and on, checking every door she saw, but all of them were shut.

“No, no, no.” She muttered under her breath, banging against the last door in the alleyway.

*BOOM*

Suki covered her ears as the ground shook, rattling the buildings around her.

“What was that?” Someone shouted from the next alleyway. Suki raised her head. They sounded close. She started running towards it, just as she heard Ozai’s heavy footfalls behind her. 

Suki sighed in relief. Someone had opened a door in the building ahead. She increased her speed and entered it, almost colliding with a strange person wearing an eerie mask.

Spinning on her heel, she dodged around them and stumbled into the room, meeting the gazes of a group of similarly masked strangers.

A large man with a bushy moustache and vibrant green goggles frowned at her. “Who are you?”

“I’m- “Suki shook her head. “That doesn’t matter. Close the door! Quickly!”

He continued staring at her.

“A firebender is coming!”

The man flinched and yelled at his subordinate by the door. “Close it!”

But it was too late. Ozai shoved his way into the room, sending the masked person sprawling to the floor. He was snarling, eyes filled with hatred, smoke curling from his clenched fists. Suki took the opportunity to study him. He was slouching, wobbling from side to side, barely able to stand up straight. If they were careful enough, they could take him down.

Ozai roared, stomping the ground. “I’m going to kill you all!”

The man with green goggles stepped forward, unfurling two batons from his back that crackled with energy. “Everyone get into the tunnel!” He commanded. “I’ll take care of this!”

The other masked figures nodded and scurried away to the back of the room.  

Ozai growled and hurled lightning at them. Quick as a whip, Green Goggles caught it with his batons and deflected it away, scorching the far wall.

Ozai froze, staring at him in mute astonishment.

Green Goggles took advantage of this pause and grabbed Suki by the shoulder, dragging her behind a nearby shelf.

Suki winced but didn’t say anything.

“We only have a few seconds.” Green Goggles said. “Our biggest advantage is that there’s two of us and one of him. I can knock him out if I get close enough.”

“I can distract him.” Suki nodded. “He shouldn’t be able to hurl lightning for too long. He’s exhausted.”

“Good- “

There was a crackling sound.

Green Goggles kneeled, shoving her to the floor as lightning destroyed the shelf above them. “Go,” He ordered, pointing behind her. “Keep running and taking fire. I’ll give you an opening.” He stood up and deflected another shot of lightning.

Suki didn’t hesitate. She rushed forward, yelling and waving her hands in the air. “Hey Ozai! Over here!”

Ozai glared at her. Throwing out his arm and curling his fingers, he sent a large arc of lightning towards her. 

She ducked behind another shelf just in time, avoiding being electrocuted to death by a hair’s breadth.

Ozai charged towards her, switching to fire. He melted the shelf like it was made of butter. She ran to the next one and he did the same. She kept going from shelf to shelf, ducking and weaving desperately. They only afforded her a second of cover. Her face almost got burnt off several times.

The only bright spot was that Ozai was getting tired. His attacks were getting smaller and smaller, more and more reckless. But she was slowing down too. She wouldn’t be able to keep this up for much longer.

At one point, Ozai started scorching the floors and walls, and then stopped, breathing harshly.

Suki peeked out. She was behind one of the last remaining shelves.  

Ozai met her gaze and grinned maniacally, raising his hands for a fresh assault.

Then-

“AUGHERGH!”

Ozai buckled over, writhing in pain as he was electrocuted, before finally falling to the floor unconscious.

Behind him, Green Goggles stood up and sheathed his batons. “Chi block him and restrain him!” He yelled at someone and then turned to her with a heavy sigh. “Sorry that I took so long. The fire was so intense. He didn’t give me an opening until now.”

Suki opened her mouth to speak, only to groan and grab the shelf for support. Her body ached. Everything hurt. Her fingers dug into the metal, desperate not to let go, because if she did…

Green Goggles gave her a worried look. “Are you…?”

She started to sway, her fingers slipping down.

The last thing she saw was Green Goggles rushing towards her. The world went dark before she even hit the floor.

“Hey, are you okay?” The guard suddenly asked.

Suki blinked. She had frozen in the middle of the corridor, staring into nothingness. “Yes. I am.” She said quickly. “I’m just very tired.” Which was true. She had been struggling to sleep because of the cold.

The guard cocked his head in either suspicion or concern. “Why don’t we go back? I can get you another blanket.” He sounded concerned. Which was good.

“Thanks.” Suki said sincerely.

As they walked back, her eyes were drawn to a dark tunnel that led to a deeper section of the prison.

“Erm, please don’t look at that.” The guard said, carefully steering her away.

“Uhh, sure.”

When they got back to her cell, someone was waiting for her. It was the man from the week before, the older dignified gentleman with glasses. He was the only person she had seen who wasn’t wearing a mask. “Hello.” He said, managing a small smile. “I wanted to see how you were doing.”

“I’m freezing. And confused. And have none of my memories.” Suki answered him with a shrug. “But other than that, I’m fine.”

The man laughed and then nodded at the equalist. “You can go.”

“But I need to lock her in- “

The man rolled his eyes. “Do it. Then leave.” He said gruffly.

The guard flinched and opened the cell. Suki dutifully walked in while he locked it behind her, then bowed clumsily to the man with glasses before fleeing

The man with glasses waited until he was out of earshot, then cleared his throat and stepped forward. “My name is Hiroshi.”

“Nice to meet you Hiroshi.” Suki said quickly. There was no point in being rude to him. She had to be nice to him if she had any hope of getting out of her cell and making an escape plan.

Hiroshi glanced around and then frowned “I’m trying to persuade Amon to move you somewhere warmer. Like the barracks.”

“Thanks.” Suki said, pretending to shiver. “I don’t wanna catch a cold. It wouldn’t be fun.”

Hiroshi harrumphed. “I told Amon we shouldn’t keep you here.” His expression darkened.” You deserve better. Unlike that vermin that caused the explosion.”

“Vermin?” Suki couldn’t help but wince a little. This man had a fanatical, rabid, hatred for all benders. She couldn’t let him find out about her friends.

“The firebender claiming to be Fire Lord Ozai.” Hiroshi muttered, almost spitting his name. “He’s killed over a dozen people. And the number is growing.”

“Innocent lives…” Suki shook her head and shuddered. “The guard told me that Amon removed his bending. Is that true?”

“It is.” Hiroshi grinned gleefully, almost maniacally. “Amon is going to strip all benders of their bending. Soon, the world will be a better place.”

Suki nodded along with a hesitant smile, but inwardly, she was cringing. Ozai deserved to have his bending removed. But he’s a mass murderer and a megalomaniacal dictator. Most benders are just ordinary people trying to live their lives. Why is Hiroshi filled with so much hatred and vengeance towards them? Did someone…a firebender, hurt him?

Hiroshi gave her a questioning look. “By the way…who trained you? You’re a very experienced fighter for your age. The Lieutenant told me what happened at the docks.”

Suki frowned. “I-I don’t remember who trained me. Maybe…maybe I had to learn to fight in order to survive?” She could reveal that at least. It was vague enough that Hiroshi wouldn’t be able to draw any conclusions about her past and realise who she was.

“Did a firebender hurt you?” Hiroshi blurted out, then bit his lip. “Sorry. I forgot about your amnesia.”

“No need to apologise.” Suki assured him. “I think…a firebender did hurt me. I had such a visceral reaction to Ozai and his firebending.” She trembled, pretending to be afraid, and gave him a pleading look. “Has he- has he said anything?”

“Aside from taunting us when he woke up, no, he hasn’t.” Hiroshi said. “He also hasn’t mentioned you.”

Suki huffed. “I was hoping he’d know something about me. Something I could use to remember. Maybe I need to see things from my past to get my memories back?” If I could see him, I could ask him about how we got here. Even if it’s a risk, he might know something. She swallowed. And I’m not sure I’m entirely comfortable with leaving him here. He should return with us to face justice for his crimes.

“You really don’t remember anything?” Hiroshi pressed, raising an eyebrow and peering at her.   

“Nothing.” Suki said, making her voice heavy with fake fear and regret. “Absolutely nothing. It’s terrifying.”

Hiroshi caved, furrowing his brow in sympathy. “We’ll do everything we can to help you. I promise. Now, I must be going. I’ll try to get Amon to move you as soon as possible.”

As soon as he was gone, the guard returned with several blankets and another coat.

Suki blinked at him in surprise. “You- “

The guard put a finger to his lips and wordlessly shoved them through the bars, then hurried away.  

Suki frowned at his retreating back, then leaned down and grabbed everything he had dropped. Building herself a little nest, she settled into it and reached for a magazine, readying herself for another boring afternoon. Luckily, she soon found herself engrossed. The magazine was about motorcycles. Apparently, there were illegal races in the underground beneath Republic City.

It was a potential avenue of escape.  

Chapter Text

High above the clouds, Aang whooped with joy. Flying never got old. Appa groaned in agreement, flapping his tail excitedly, and Ikki yelled, clinging onto the saddle with a vibrant smile.

Oogi flew up next to them and Tenzin gave them a disapproving frown, while Pema laughed, and Jinora and Meelo looked on with jealousy. “Be careful Aang!” The older airbender chided him.

“Sorry, Tenzin.” Aang said with a shrug. He was having too much fun to feel any guilt. “I was just enjoying the moment.”

Tenzin huffed. “We’ve almost arrived at our destination. There’s no need to fly so recklessly. Can you take it down a notch?”

“Sure!” Aang slowed down, making Ikki pout. “Thanks for ruining everything Daddy.” She complained.

“I’d rather you be bored and safe, than fun and in danger.” Tenzin teased her. Jinora and Meelo laughed. Ikki stuck her tongue out at them. Pema sighed exasperatedly, trying to hide her amusement.

Aang watched them, smile faltering, feeling odd. He wasn’t a part of their family.  He’d never be. He shouldn’t be.

Ikki poked him in the back. “Aang! Tell my dad he’s wrong!”

“Huh?” He stared at her.  

“You should be on my side.” She said indignantly. “You’re the one who was speeding!”

“But your dad is right.” He muttered. A moment later, he realised his mistake. “Err, I mean I spoke without thinking. I- “

Ikki narrowed her eyes at him, expression turning thunderous. She huffed, crossed her arms, and turned away.  

“Ikki…” Aang reached out to her. She feels like everyone has turned against her. But that’s not what I-

“Aang, we’re about to land.” Tenzin bellowed, yanking on Oogi’s reins. The bison slowed, losing altitude.

Aang nodded and returned to flying. He could make things up with Ikki later.

They broke through the clouds. An island appeared below them. A sliver of green in a glistening, blue sea.

Aang’s jaw dropped. It was huge. He saw forests, beaches, and even a little mountain, with a lake at the bottom.

Groans resounded around them. Aang gasped as a whole herd of sky bison suddenly overtook them. Even Ikki forgot her anger, craning her head to see them all.

There were more bison in the distance, circling around the mountain.

“This way.” Tenzin said, shifting to the left. “There’s a field on the north side of the island we use as a campsite.”

Aang followed him, leaving the herd behind.

Tenzin led him to a lush field, filled with wildflowers and tall grass. After they had landed and disembarked, Oogi and Appa immediately started stuffing themselves.

“Oogi!” “Appa!” Tenzin and Aang chided their bison at the same time.

The two bison stared at them with twin expressions of surprise, mouths still full.

Tenzin turned red and stepped back. “Erm, why don’t you go first?”

“S-sure.” Aang took a deep breath and glared at his bison. “Appa, don’t eat so quickly or you’ll get sick!”

Appa’s eyes drooped, but he duly swallowed what he had and resumed eating at a slower pace.

“The same goes for you too, Oogi.” Tenzin said sharply, crossing his arms. He was the very picture of a stern parent. “I know you haven’t eaten for hours but remember what happened the last time you had an irritated stomach. It wasn’t pretty.”

Oogi hung his head in shame, then grunted and copied Appa.   

“Bison, eh?” Aang joked.

Tenzin chuckled, grinning at him. “Bison.”

“Hey, Dad!” Jinora yelled. “I need help with the tents!”

Tenzin frowned. “Aren’t your siblings helping you?”

“They ran off to forage for food.”

“What!?” Tenzin recoiled, eyes widening and mouth going slack. He rushed back to the campsite, closely followed by Aang.

“I tried to stop them.” Pema said, sighing heavily and unfurling a sleeping bag. “But they were too fast for me.”

“It’s okay, Pema.” Tenzin turned to his daughter. “Where did they go?”

Jinora bit her lip. “Ikki said she wanted to go look for food because it was something she could do ‘alone’. Meelo took off after her because he said wanted to help, but I think he just wanted to explore the island.”

Tenzin pinched his brow. “How did this happen? We’ve only been here for a few minutes.”

“Never underestimate a determined child.” Aang murmured, recalling his escapades in the Southern Air Temple.

“I need to go look for them!” Tenzin declared. “If she went into the jungle, we can’t take the bison. It’s too thick for them to land anywhere.” He nodded at each of them. “Stay here and help Pema.”

“I’m going with you.” Aang said quickly. “Two heads are better than one and this island is a large place.”

“What about me?” Jinora muttered. “I don’t want to be left out.”

“Stay here.” Tenzin ordered.

Jinora pouted, kicking the ground.

“Actually, Jinora, you can help us search.” Aang cut in, smiling at her.

Tenzin frowned at him.

“Really?” Jinora beamed, eyes lighting up.  

“Yeah. But don’t go too far. Stay in the field.” Aang said. “We need someone to search the surrounding area. I have a feeling that Meelo didn’t get very far.”

“Aww.”

“Would you rather stay here?” Aang challenged her.

“No.” She shook her head. “I’ll help- I’ll look for Meelo.”

“Good girl.” Tenzin said. “Don’t go too far. Listen to Aang- stay in the field. I don’t want to lose another one of my children. Aang and I will look for Ikki.”

Jinora nodded and sped off on an air scooter, looking determined.

Tenzin watched her go with a grim expression.  

“She’ll be okay Tenzin.” Aang tried to assure him. “She won’t go too far. She’s old enough to have some responsibility.”

“I know, but…she’s still a child.” Tenzin argued. “I don’t want anything bad happening to her.” He shook his head. “Let’s get going. We need to find Ikki.”

Together, they carefully airbent a small hole in the jungle foliage and stepped through it, entering a dark and oppressive world.

The trees were thick and imposing, their extensive canopies completely blocking out the sun. Endless vines covered the ground, curling and twisting around each other into a dense green carpet.

Aang tugged at his collar, sweat sliding down his throat. He swallowed, wishing that he still had his firebending so that he could at least create a light for them to see things better.  

“We won’t be able to travel by air scooter.” Tenzin murmured. “Ikki was smaller than us. She would’ve been able to squeeze through.” He slumped, shoulders drooping. “She could be anywhere by now. Lost, or afraid, completely and utterly alone.” He glared into the gloom. “I will find her.”

“We’ll find her.” Aang promised.   

Tenzin gave him a grateful look and started walking.

Aang stepped after him, only to be distracted by a chittering noise. He looked up.

Illuminated by a thin shaft of sunlight, a strange monkey stared back at him. It had bright orange eyes, grey fur, and a chequered tail.  

Aang blinked. It was a lemur. It didn’t have wings. He grinned. “Hey, buddy!”

The lemur squawked and scampered away, disturbing a group of multicoloured birds roosting in the branches above. They scattered in all directions with harried shrieks.

It took Aang a few seconds to realise they were parrots. Not iguana, basilisk, or chicken parrots, but just parrots.

They’re single-species animals, not double species. He thought. Are all the animals on this island the same?

“IKKI!”

Tenzin’s hoarse cry brought him back to reality. The older Airbender was far ahead of him, too engrossed in his search to realise that he had fallen behind.

Stop being distracted and help Tenzin. Aang chided himself, racing after him. “Ikki! Where are you!?” He called out, lowering his head in shame. What if she’d gotten hurt while he’d been distracted?

“I’m over here!” A teary voice answered, followed by barks and a shriek.  

“Ikki, keep talking!” Tenzin instructed, rushing towards her, closely followed by Aang.

“This way!” Ikki shouted, doing her best to direct them. “Over here!”

The jungle suddenly parted, and they stepped out into a small clearing. It was empty except for the decaying husk of a tree, its creaking limbs reaching out towards the sky like a skeletal hand.

Ikki sat at the top, her terrified gaze fixed on a pack of wolves beneath her. They circled the base of the tree, jumping up and clawing at the trunk in an effort to get to her.   

“Ikki!” Tenzin yelled, leaping into an air cycle and hurrying over. The wolves turned to greet him, growling violently, uniting as one to take him down.

They didn’t stand a chance.

Tenzin narrowed his eyes at them, his nostrils flaring. Landing on his feet, he whipped out his staff and hit them with a massive gale. The wolves fell, tails between their legs in a vain effort to stay in place. Tenzin didn’t let up. He immediately hit them with rapid, concentrated, blasts of air, keeping it up until they had all retreated, whimpering and whining in their desperation to get away.

Aang could only watch in awe. Tenzin was an incredible airbender. He must’ve had an amazing teacher…He paused. Wait. His father taught him. I’m seeing the direct results of my own training.

“You can come down now Ikki.” Tenzin said, crossing his arms and giving her a stern look. But there was a glint of relief in his eyes. He was glad that she was okay.

Ikki glanced around, making sure the wolves were gone, and then jumped off the tree, using her airbending to cushion her fall. As soon as she had hit the ground, she ran over and hugged her father, squeezing him as tightly as she could. “I’m so sorry daddy.” She wailed. “I didn’t mean to get lost. I just wanted to be alone for a few minutes. Then the wolves appeared and started chasing me. There were too many of them-”

“Ikki, it’s dangerous to run off on your own. Especially in a wild place like this.” Tenzin said sharply. “I was very worried about you.” He huffed. “Please don’t do that ever again.”

“I won’t!” Ikki promised. “If I run away again, I’ll make sure that it’s not anywhere dangerous.”

Tenzin sighed, looking up at the sky with a resigned expression.

“Ikki, I should apologise.” Aang said. “I didn’t mean to be dismissive of your feelings. I should’ve been more considerate.”

“It’s okay.” Ikki grinned at him. “You were just being a doo-doo brain. I was being a doo-doo brain as well. Everyone’s a doo-doo brain at some point.”

“Erm, sure.”

“Can we go back to the campsite?” Ikki perked up, looking at her father. “Can I ride on your back?”

“I think you’re a bit too old for that.” Tenzin laughed.

“Aww.”  

“Hey, when we go back, why don’t we have an air scooter race?” Aang offered with a smile.

Ikki squeed and took off into the woods.

“Ikki!” Tenzin yelled. “Get back here!”

Ikki returned quickly, lowering her head in shame. “S-sorry. I got too excited.”

“Let’s just walk back together.” Aang suggested, glancing between the two of them.

Ikki nodded sheepishly.

“Why don’t you tell us about the wildlife of this island?” Aang asked Tenzin, in an effort to raise her spirits. “I’ve never seen animals like this anyone else in the world. Aside from Bosco, the bear that belonged to Earth King Kuei.”

“Oh, there are soooo many cool animals here!” Ikki babbled, jumping up and down. “Pleeease tell us about them Daddy!”

“Sure.” Tenzin said, taking her by the hand. “This island is- “

“One second.” Ikki said, holding out her other hand to Aang.

“Wha...?” Aang blinked.

Ikki harrumphed. “I don’t want anyone else to get lost. If we’re all holding hands, we won’t get separated!”

“Uhhh…okay” Aang reluctantly grabbed her hand.

“Yay!” Ikki cheered and dragged them towards the jungle.

Aang and Tenzin shared a helpless look and then the latter cleared his throat. “This island is a nature reserve…“

Miraculously, Jinora had found Meelo *and* set up the two tents.

The two kids waved at them excitedly as they entered the camp.

Tenzin glanced around, furrowing his brow in concern.

“Mom’s resting.” Jinora said, pointing at the largest tent. “Her back was hurting. She…she helped us put them up.”

“Ah.”

“Did you find any food?” Meelo demanded loudly, making everyone glare at him. “What?”

“Mom’s sleeping.” Jinora whispered, putting a finger to her mouth.

“Oops.” Meelo winced, lowering his voice. “S-sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Tenzin soothed him. “I don’t think you woke your mother up.”

“Phew.” Meelo wiped his brow and grinned.

“Why don’t we get ready for dinner?” Tenzin said. “I know where all the edible plants are.”

“It’s about time.” Meelo gave him an excited look. “I was about to die from hunger.”

“Erm, right.” Tenzin shook his head. “Meelo, I need you to stay here and…” His eyes lit up. He’d had a great idea. “I need you to stay here and guard the camp. It’s a very important job. We don’t want any animals stealing our supplies or hurting your mother, do we?”

“No we don’t…sir!” Meelo nodded seriously and saluted him, falling for the fake order.

“Daddy, do we have to go now?” Ikki complained. “Aang promised me an Air Scooter race.”

“Why don’t we have one after dinner?” Aang said. “Your mom should be awake by then.”

“Okay.” Ikki nodded. “I know she needs a lot of rest because she’s carrying a baby.”

“I wanna race too.” Meelo said, stomping his foot.

“It’s just for me and Aang.” Ikki glared at him.

“How about I race both of you?” Aang suggested, then blinked. He’d left someone out. “And Jinora.” He nodded at her. “You can all take turns.”

“Then I’m going first.” Ikki said.

“Nuh-uh.” Meelo shook his head.  

“Kids.” Tenzin chided them. “You’ll all get to race Aang.”

They stopped arguing.

“I’m going to take Jinora foraging.” Tenzin continued. “She hasn’t seen the island yet. The rest of you can stay and guard the camp.”

“And I’m the commanding officer.” Meelo saluted him again.

“Meelo, you’re only five.” Ikki pointed out. “If anything, Aang should be the commanding officer because he’s the oldest.”

“I’m not really army material.” Aang admitted, scratching his head.

“See?” Meelo puffed up his chest. “He’s a wimp. As the toughest and smartest person here, I should be in charge.”

“I’d be a better leader than you.” Ikki scoffed. “Because you’re being a doo-doo brain right now.”

He and Ikki started arguing again.

Tenzin gave them an exasperated look.

“You and Jinora get going.” Aang said. “I’ll deal with them.”

“Thank you, Aang.” Tenzin smiled at him.

Good luck. Jinora mouthed as they walked away.

Aang sighed and turned to the two arguing airbenders. He needed to stop them before they started blasting wind everywhere and woke Pema. “Hey, how about a story?”

Both of them immediately quietened and turned to him with expectant faces.

Aang wracked his brains, then grinned. “Oh, lemme tell you about Kyoshi Island. There are these giant koi fish…”

He told Meelo and Ikki stories about his travels. They told him stories about their childhood. An hour later, Jinora and Tenzin returned, arms laden with fruit, vegetables, and mushrooms. The sight made Aang’s mouth water. 

Tenzin showed them how to create a campfire with flint and tinder, and then he gently woke Pema. They ate and chatted about their day as the sun dipped below the horizon, slowly turning the sky dark.

Afterwards, Aang went into the field and raced the trio, starting with Ikki as she had asked first, then her two siblings. At first, he won. After all, he had invented the Air Scooter. Jinora managed to beat him once, by a single second. After that, he let Ikki and Meelo win. Thankfully, Jinora wasn’t upset. She gave him an understanding look and a knowing smile as her two siblings argued about who was the better racer. It ended with the three siblings racing each other a few times. Aang watched them with a fond smile.

“Kids, it’s time for bed.” Pema announced.

“One second Mom!” Jinora yelled back. “We wanna have one final race!”

“Make it quick!”

“We will!” Jinora said, grinning at Aang. Ikki and Meelo quickly did the same.

“Wah?” He frowned at them.

“We wanna have a four-way race!” Ikki explained. “A big one. All around the meadow.”

“Because you’re our bro!” Meelo declared, punching his hands together.

“I’m not- “

“It’s just Meelo being Meelo.” Jinora gave her brother a disapproving look. “Meelo, he’s not our brother.”

“He is!”

“He’s a better brother than you.” Ikki snarked.

“Hey!”

Both girls giggled, making Meelo cross his arms and pout.

Aang laughed. “I suggest we have our race now before it gets too dark.”

Meelo whooped and jumped up, summoning a ball of air beneath him and speeding off.

“Meelo, we haven’t even started the race yet!” Ikki yelled, then huffed and dashed after him on her own air scooter.

“I can’t believe them Aang.” Jinora muttered. “They’re so- “

Aang blew past her, giving her a taunting wave.

Jinora glared at him and quickly followed suit.

In the end, it was less of a race and more of a haphazard rough-and-tumble chase around the whole field.

Aang had forgotten the feeling. He hadn’t experienced this for over a hundred years.

Having fun with other airbenders

Sure, he loved his friends. And he loved goofing off with them. But they couldn’t ride a ball of air at high speed, blast wind at him, or leap up into the air and spin around to avoid crashing into someone.

“Kids! It’s getting late!” Pema complained loudly. She was standing on the edge of the campsite with her hands on her hips.

“Coming Mom!” All three kids chanted, running off to give her a goodnight hug.

Aang stayed behind as they clustered around her, giving Pema a friendly nod.  

“I beat Aang at air scooting!” Ikki said, her eyes shining brightly.

“I also beat Aang at air scootering!” Meelo sniped. “And I was faster than Ikki!”

Ikki rolled her eyes.

Jinora shrugged. “I just had fun. I don’t really care about winning.”

“Liar.” Ikki jeered.

Jinora laughed, too happy to be upset with her.

“Did you have fun Aang?” Meelo asked anxiously, peering back at him with a worried face.

“I did.” Aang said with a smile. “I had a lot of fun.”

“Yay!”

Pema laughed. “C’mon, kids. Lemme put you to bed.” She nodded at Aang. “Aang, there’s a space for you in the girl’s tent, or you can sleep out here. Whichever you prefer.”

“Thanks, Pema.”

Pema walked, or rather, stumbled away. Her children were refusing to let go of her.

Aang went to the fire, which had almost gone out. Tenzin sat next to it, staring pensively into the dying flames. “Tenzin?” He said.

Tenzin snapped to attention. “I’m fine. Just thinking about things.”

Aang sat next to him. “Can I…ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“This island…when was it discovered?”

“About fifty years ago.” Tenzin said, smiling wistfully. “When I was born, you- my dad would take me here and show me the bison and all the animals. It inspired me to bring my own kids here.”

“The animals…” Aang frowned. “Before coming here, the only single-species animal I ever saw was Bosco, the bear that belonged to Earth King Kuei.”

“Yes. Bosco.” Tenzin muttered, rubbing his hands together.

“Tenzin?” Aang pressed. “What happened to Bosco?”

“He passed away a long time ago.”

“Tell me what happened to him.”

“He was eaten.”

“What?”

Tenzin shifted in his seat uncomfortably. “Kuei’s daughter ate him.”

Aang gasped, opening and closing his mouth like a fish.

“She’s a tyrant.” Tenzin’s expression darkened. “She rules the Earth Kingdom with an iron fist.”

“What about Ba Sing Se?” Aang said. “Is it as bad as it was in my time?”

“Worse.”

An awkward silence descended.

“Tell me about your trips here.” Aang asked, changing the subject.

“They were great.” Tenzin perked up. “We’d go everywhere. Check up on the bison. See if there were any new babies.” He gestured at the field. “This was our rest stop. It’s why the ground is so flat. It’s the only part of the island where anyone can camp.”

“Anyone?”

“Sometimes research groups come here.” Tenzin explained. “Scientists and students. Very rarely though. And they don’t stay for too long.”

“What about Kya and Bumi?”

“I remember…” Tenzin frowned, biting the inside of his cheek. “Bumi’s been here. With his ship. But Kya…I can’t remember.”

“Did the other me- “Aang coughed. He had to get used to referring to the other Aang as a separate person. “Did your dad ever bring them here?”

“He- he must have.” Tenzin murmured. “If he didn’t…I don’t know why. It doesn’t make any sense. They were his kids too.”

“Maybe he only brought you here?” Aang suggested gently. “Because you were an airbender and he wanted to share this part of his heritage with you and no one else.”

“No.” Tenzin flinched, eyes going wide. “Dad wouldn’t have done that. He wouldn’t have excluded them.” He hugged himself, shaking his head. “He wouldn’t have.”

“Okay.” Aang decided not to press the issue.

“He wouldn’t have.” Tenzin repeated desperately. “We went to so many places together.”

“Tenzin, it’s okay.” Aang patted him on the arm, before swallowing and withdrawing. Crap. I didn’t mean to make him freak out and question his entire childhood. “You’re just tired. Go and get some sleep.”

Tenzin blinked, then nodded. “Yes. That’s a good idea. I’ll do that.” He stood up and turned away, then abruptly turned back. “Goodnight Aang. Are you- do you know where you’re sleeping?”

“I’ll sleep out here. On my own.” Aang said, giving him a reassuring smile. “I’ll be fine. I slept on the ground when I was travelling with my friends.”

“Are you sure?” Tenzin asked, brow furrowed in concern. “If there’s any problems, anything, just come and get me.”

“I am sure.” Aang assured him. “Now, go to bed. It’s quite late.”

“You sound like Pema.” Tenzin huffed in amusement, then smiled. “See you tomorrow Aang.” He retreated to his tent.

Aang buried the remains of the fire, then picked up a blanket and stepped away from the campsite.

Appa raised his head as he approached, flickering his ears in interest.

“Hey, buddy.” Aang smiled at his bison. “Sorry, I didn’t come over earlier. I was too busy helping Tenzin and racing his kids.”

Appa groaned lowly and nudged him.

Aang laughed and curled up beside him, patting him on the snout. “Goodnight, buddy.”

Appa groaned again and shut his eyes.

Aang did the same. Lulled by Appa’s heartbeat, it didn’t take him long to fall asleep.

Chapter Text

Katara shrieked, almost falling into the bay as the ice raft bobbed dangerously from side to side.

“Katara!” Kya seized her shoulder to steady her. They exchanged a panicked look and then nodded. Taking up stances on either side of the raft, they started bending furiously to stop it from capsizing.

“We need to get to land!” Kya yelled.

Katara nodded and shifted her stance. Together, they pushed the makeshift raft through the sea, heading for shore.

People stared at them from passing boats. Most just laughed or shook their heads in disbelief, though a few jeered or let out wolf whistles.

Katara and Kya rolled their eyes, doing their best to ignore them. Eventually, after many, many, minutes, they arrived at the city’s waterfront.

Breathing in and out, Katara leaned down and grasped her knees. “I’m never doing that again.”

“In hindsight, it was a stupid idea.” Kya bit her lip. “Sorry. I know you came up with it. I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“Don’t worry. I agree.” Katara laughed. “It was stupid.”

“Hmm.” Kya cocked her head, thinking deeply. “I’ll ask Kyando to reopen the ferry. I’ll keep an eye on him. It’s the safest way to travel to and from Air Temple Island.”

“Y-yeah…” Katara composed herself and stood up. “How far away is the Water District?”

“It’s a fair distance.” Kya said. “We should take a taxi. It’s more expensive than the tram, but it’s faster and less conspicuous.”

“Ah. My first ride in a Satomobile.” Katara gave her an uncertain look. “Please don’t spend too much money on my account.”

“Katara, I’m not poor.” Kya huffed. “And we’re not going to spend a lot. I’m taking you to a shop run by an old friend. It won’t be anything too fancy, but you’ll get a lot of decent clothing for a good price.”

“Phew.” Katara wiped her brow and grinned. “That’s a relief.”

“It is.” Kya said. She pointed up the road. “This way. There should be a taxi stand nearby.” She led her away from the waterfront, bundling her into a taxi before anyone could see them. Thankfully, the driver didn’t recognize her and only grunted when they told him where they were going. 

Katara jumped when the car started to vibrate. Kya smiled at her reassuringly and she relaxed. 

They headed north, crisscrossing through the streets and over a bridge. Fortunately, they didn’t get stuck in traffic. Katara’s eyes were glued to the window. Republic City was so modern, so vibrant. It made Ba Sing Se look positively ancient.  

Finally, they reached the northernmost point of the city. Kya paid the driver, and they got out. Katara looked around and blinked in surprise. All the buildings around them had blue roofs. 

“We’re in the Water District.” Kya explained. “It’s also known as “Little Water Tribe”. There’s a section for the Southern Water Tribe and a separate one for the Northern Water Tribe.”

Even here, we’re divided. Katara thought sadly, shaking her head.  

“I don’t like it as well, Katara.” Kya said as if reading her mind. She smiled. “Things are a lot better than they used to be. People intermingle a lot, mixing and sharing their culture and beliefs. Here, more than anywhere else.”

“Let’s just get in and get out.” Katara muttered. She didn’t want anyone to recognize her.

“Sure.”

As soon as they turned around the corner, Katara froze. The district was full of people, which, with Republic City being a booming metropolis, wasn’t surprising. No, it was what they were wearing that gave her pause.

There was a dizzying array of outfits. Too many to count. And she had never seen so many different shades of blue before. Some of them were so deep they were almost violet, while others were so pale they were almost white. And the furs…

Katara frowned, getting the distinct impression that she didn’t fit in. Glancing down at herself, she sighed in frustration. Kya was right. Her clothing was woefully out of date.

“Katara, be careful.” Kya suddenly warned her.

“Oh.” Katara came back to her senses and stumbled out of the way of a large man who was walking towards her.

“Are you okay?” Kya asked.

“I am.” Katara smiled sheepishly at her. “Sorry about that.”

Kya offered her a hand. “Can I…help you?”

Katara nodded and took it.

Kya led her through the bustling district, past countless shops and restaurants. The shops sold everything from ivory carvings, ice statues, weapons like spears and boomerangs, and even canoes. As for the restaurants, each and every one of them advertised that they sold “authentic Water Tribe cuisine, found nowhere else in Republic City”.

Kya tugged on her hand, sharply turning into a side street. They walked for another minute, arriving at a small boutique. The name “Neyka’s fashions” was emblazoned above the front door in deep blue lettering.

A bell tinkled as they entered the store. Katara’s eyes went wide. Aside from a few chairs and a table in the centre of the room, the store was filled, from floor to ceiling, with racks of clothing and bundles of cloth.

“Neyka!” Kya called out, furrowing her brow and peering around the room. “Where is she…?” 

A curtain shimmered at the back of the shop. A woman stepped out from behind it. She had bright blue eyes and her grey-white hair was set up in an elaborate braid. It swung towards them as she gave them a dazzling smile, her cheeks flushed. “Kya!” She strode forward and hugged the older waterbender. “Long time no see!”

Kya laughed. “I’ve been busy looking after my mother and her patients.”

“Oh?” Neyka asked, stepping back. “How many of them have you killed?”

“Ha ha.” Kya glared at her, but she was still grinning.

Neyka looked at Katara, who gave her a small uncertain wave. “Who’s this?”

“This is my mother’s new protégé.” Kya sighed. “She’s also called Katara. Don’t ask. It’s a very long story.”

“New protégé?” Neyka’s jaw went slack. “Oh. You’re the girl from the newspaper. The one who saved all those people.”

“Yes.” Katara confirmed tersely. I hope she doesn’t make a big deal about it.

Neyka smiled at her and held out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Katara paused for a moment and then shook it, smiling back. “Likewise.”

Neyka eyed her clothing, a frown slowly forming on her face. “Your clothing is very out of date. Where are you from?”

“Erm.” Katara swallowed, blushing lightly. “From a remote, nomadic, village in the South Pole. We, erm, moved around a lot and didn’t have much.”

“Uh-uh.” Neyka sounded like she didn’t really believe it. “Have you time travelled from the past?”

Katara flinched. “W-what?”

“I was just joking.” Neyka assured her. “There’s no need to be so jumpy.”

“Neyka, please don’t barrage her with questions.” Kya said, almost pleading. “Just serve us and let us buy your amazing clothing.”

“Okay.” Neyka shrugged. “But you’d better tell me the truth later. I don’t buy this ‘protégé of my mother’ excuse. I’ve met your mother. She hasn’t had a protégé in years. Not since you moved in with her.”

“Okay.” Kya repeated back to her, nodding slowly. “I will.”

“Right.” Neyka gave Katara an appraising look. “Let’s see if we can’t update your wardrobe. Do you have any idea of what you want? Colour? Style? Fur or no fur?”

“Ummm…” Katara looked at Kya, who quickly came to her rescue. “We want something comfortable yet fitting. Nothing too formal. We aren’t going to a super-duper upper-class party.”

Neyka cocked her head. “Well, then, why don’t we start with what we already have?”

“Huh?” Katara stared at her in confusion.

“We can update what you’re already wearing.” Neyka explained. “Let’s start with jackets and tunics, and then we can look at dresses, skirts, trousers, etcetera.”

“I’d like that.” Katara managed a weak smile.

As they started looking through the racks of clothing, she quickly found herself getting overwhelmed. There was just so much choice. Back in her time, at the South Pole, they’d always had to make do with what they had. New clothing was very rare. It took dozens of hours to knit together furs, hides, and other materials to make a single outfit. Most people wore hand-me-downs, and they didn’t have much of a choice in terms of style. Heck, the Northern Water Tribe was more fashionable than them, and even their clothing paled in comparison to this.

“I think you should go for deeper blues,” suggested Neyka, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “I don’t think paler ones would suit you quite as much.” She cocked her head. “They’d work better as a highlight.”

Katara nodded. “You have a good eye.”

“Thank you.”

In the end, she went for an ocean blue tunic with an ice blue sash, and a shorter jacket of the same shade with midnight blue buttons. She also got some trousers, shirts, and a long skirt, all in a wide range of blues.

“Oh, before we go…” Kya snatched something from a rack and put it on her head. She chuckled. “It suits you.”

“What?” Katara reached up and felt a small hat. Adjusting it slightly, she looked into a nearby mirror and blushed. The hat was a deep royal blue. It framed her face rather wall, accentuating her eyes. Aang would like this. She thought.

“Woah. You look great!” Neyka praised her. She side-eyed Kya. “You should definitely buy it.”

“Oh, fine.” Kya pretended to grumble, then grinned. “How about a discount?”

“I’ll give you 20% off,” Neyka offered. “No more, no less.”

“Thank you.” Kya said. “How much?”

“500 yuans for the whole lot.”

Katara froze. “That sounds like a lot. Especially, considering…well…”

Kya waved her off. “As I said, I have savings. I can always donate the clothing later on If I have to.”

Neyka sniffed in disdain. “I had no idea you thought so little of my inventory. It’s quality stuff.”

Kya fixed her with a look.

Neyka crumbled and laughed. “Most of this stuff is second-hand anyway. I wouldn’t mind buying some of it back if you want to get rid of it.”

“We’ll see.” Kya smirked. “I may be able to get a better price elsewhere.”

“Oh, will you stop it.”

“Katara, do you want to get changed now?” Kya said. “If you go out in newer clothing, there’s less of a chance that you’ll be recognized.”

“Sure.” Katara smiled, feeling strangely relieved. I won’t stick out like a sore thumb anymore, but the others… “Kya, can we exchange some of my clothing for something else?”

“What do you need?” Kya asked.

Katara told her.

Kya grinned. “Good idea.”

Katara got changed while Kya exchanged the clothes. Neyka carefully folded them and placed the items into several bulky bags. “Why don’t you stop for lunch?” She said. “There are loads of good restaurants around here. You can get a private booth.”

“I wish we could, but we don’t have the time.” Kya declined. “We need to get back to Air Temple Island.”

“Why not?” Neyka pressed softly, handing her the bags and glancing at Katara. “Don’t you want to see the city, just a little?”

 “I do,” Katara admitted. I can’t help but be curious about a city that Aang founded with Zuko.

Neyka grinned. “Well, if you can’t stop for lunch, why not take a lap around the quarter? Or if you’re really pressed for time, why not quickly check out Councilman Sokka’s statue?”

“Sokka has a statue?” Katara’s jaw dropped.

Neyka chuckled. “It’s in front of the Southern Water Tribe Cultural Center. It’s only a few minutes’ walk from here.”

“Can we check it out?” Katara asked Kya, giving her a desperate look.

“Sure.” Kya said reluctantly. “But we’ll have to be quick.”

Katara nodded.

Neyka sent them on their way.

The cultural centre was a massive, multi-tiered building. A fountain lay quietly bubbling in front of it, with a statue of-

That’s…that’s him. Katara realised. My brother. It was even weirder than seeing Aang’s statue. At least he was the Avatar, it made sense for him to have monuments. But this was different. It was Sokka. Her brother.

No. This isn’t my brother. She thought, shaking her head. My brother is still alive, back at Air Temple Island. This version of Sokka is dead. I never knew him, and I never will.  

“Katara?” Kya asked softly. “Are you okay?”

“Kya…” Katara frowned at her, then blinked. Her vision was blurry. She was crying. Hurriedly wiping her eyes with her hands, she took a deep breath and tried to regain her calm. “Can you tell me about him-your uncle?”

Kya hesitated for a moment, then smiled. “Sure.” She gave the statue a wistful look and then started talking. “My Uncle was one of the loveliest people I’ve ever met. He had an immature sense of humour, was an amazing swordsman and tactician, and according to the early citizens of Republic City, was the best councillor they ever had.”

“Councillor…” Katara bit her lip. “What do you think of the current council?”

Kya pondered her question, still staring at the statue. “Well, I haven’t lived here for years. So, I don’t really know.” She paused. “I do know that Tenzin…finds the job difficult. And he’s frequently annoyed by Tarrlok and the other councillors. They all side against him. Tarrlok always gets what he wants. It’s been that way for years.”

“I take it you haven’t met Tarrlok, or any of the other councillors?”

“No.”

Katara furrowed her brow and stared at the ground. The council sounds inefficient. I wonder if Tenzin ever tried talking to Tarrlok and working with him, or maybe he’s just unsuited to government…I need to face a harsh truth: I am going to be stuck here for a while, with a lot of free time on my hands. I don’t want to waste it. So, aside from looking for Suki, I should use as much of it as I can to help people, including the victims of the explosion. I need to check in on them…which means… I can kill two birds with one stone. She nodded, making a decision.

“Katara…?” Kya questioned her.

“Kya, I just had an idea. Suki might be in a hospital.” Katara gave her a determined look. “I need to visit the explosion victims anyway. So, I can look for her at the same time. Do you know which hospital they’re in?”

Kya was silent for a moment, taken aback by her demanding tone. “Err, I’m guessing they’d be in RC General. It’s the largest hospital in the city.”

“I’d like to visit it as soon as I can.” Katara said. “If Suki isn’t there, then I can visit other hospitals in the city and look for her.”

“I’m sure Lin can arrange that.” Kya pursed her lips. “What about Tarrlok?”

“I may need his help.” Katara sighed. “Sokka asked me. Even if he’s an opportunist, he may have resources that we can use to find Suki.”

“You don’t have to ask him for help.” Kya argued. “I’m sure we can find Suki without him.”

“I’m sure we can.” Katara agreed. “But we have to be open to every option.” She smiled. “Let’s go back to Air Temple Island. We can take the ferry.”

“Okay.” Kya said. “If we go to the outskirts of the district, we should be able to find a Taxi.”

All went well until they reached the end of the main road. Just as they were about to turn the final corner, there was a sudden bark of laughter and a group of youths came stumbling out of a restaurant, laughing and jostling one another.

Katara flinched, head swivelling in their direction, unwittingly locking eyes with one of them. He was a young man, dressed entirely in black. His hair, also black, was slicked sideways into a  ridiculous hairstyle, a large curl falling over his right eye. He was grinning, hands in his pockets, his face alight with pure joy.

He noticed her staring and froze. His jaw fell, and his eyes went impossibly wide. He nudged his friends and mouthed “No freaking way. It’s her”. They followed his gaze and recoiled, ogling them with similar expressions.  

“Kya…” Katara whispered. “They know who I am.”

Kya frowned. “Maybe we can- “

But it was too late. In no time at all, the youths had surrounded them, circling them like a predator circles prey.

The youth in black smirked at Katara.  “Hey.” He said.  “You’re from the newspaper, right?”

“She’s not- “Kya started.

“You’re in disguise.” The youth ignored her, still looking at Katara. “Why are you hiding?”

“I’m not.” Katara snapped. “I’m just walking home.”

The youth laughed shrilly. “Unfortunately, you forgot to hide your most recognisable feature...those godawful hair loops.”

Katara narrowed her eyes at him. “Well, you’re one to talk with that ridiculous greased hair.”

The youth exchanged an amused glance with his friends. “You might think it’s ridiculous, but others think it’s quite sexy.” He quipped. “Anyway, my name is Tahno. What’s yours?”

“I’m not telling you.”

“Aww, don’t be like that.”

“I bet you used waterbending to style your hair. Is that all you can do?” Katara sniped, almost seething at him. Tahno was beginning to piss her off. “If so, you must be a really pathetic waterbender.”

Tahno’s mood instantly flipped. His smirk faltered, twisting into an ugly grimace, and he glared at her fiercely. “You’d better be careful.” He warned. “Or I’ll- “

“Or what?” Katara snorted. “You’ll flick water at me?”

“No, I’ll do something much worse than that.” He stated with a serious expression, then stepped back and raised his hands to his mouth. “HEY EVERYBODY! THE SAVIOUR OF THE DOCKS IS HERE! THE GIRL FROM THE NEWSPAPERS!”

Kya paled, while Katara frowned at him. What is he-

Hundreds of thundering feet echoed down the road behind them, closely followed by yells of curiosity and jubilation. In only a few seconds, they were swamped by a sudden tide of people.

“It is you!” Someone exclaimed. “The girl with the funny hairstyle!”

“You saved my cousin!” A bright-eyed woman cheered. “He’s a reporter. Wait until he hears about this!”

“You’re an astounding waterbender!” An older man praised her, throwing his arms in the air. “Can you teach me?”

Kya grabbed Katara’s arm and dragged her, half running, half stumbling, around the corner. The crowd followed closely behind. Tahno waved at them jauntily, his smirk firmly back in place.

Fortunately, an unoccupied taxi was coming towards them. Kya hailed it with her free hand, then threw open the door and shoved her inside, before leaping in after her.

There were groans and shouts of disappointment as they drove off. Katara did not look back. “What was that all about?” She said, hugging herself. “It’s been over a week since the explosion happened. Why are they being so…rabid?”

“Well, it is the Water District.” Kya muttered. “And you did save a bunch of waterbenders, as well as perform an amazing feat of waterbending.”

“What?” Katara stared at her in disbelief.

“You’re kinda their hero. Someone to get excited about.” Kya said. “It’s been seventeen years since a new Avatar- a Water Nation Avatar- was born, and they haven’t revealed themselves yet. People, especially Waterbenders, feel as if they’ve been abandoned by the person who’s meant to protect them. They’ve likely latched onto you as a substitute.”

“But that doesn’t make any sense…” Katara bit her lip. Aang- no, Korra, should be their hero. Not me. “I don’t know what to make of it. I’m not used to this kind of attention.”

“No one is.” Kya said, staring out of the window with a grim expression. “It’s the price of saving all those lives. It’s why we wanted to change your name.”

“Will my appearance in the Water District make the news?”

“No.” Kya shook her head. “Maybe some gossip rags, but nothing major.” She chuckled darkly. “Y’know, the kind of thing that a cave dweller reads.”

“Cave dweller?”

“It’s an expression.” Kya coughed. “It means someone who’s narrowed-minded and doesn’t get out much.”

“I thought you meant someone who literally lived in a cave.” Katara laughed. “Or, at the very least, deep underground.”

“Oh, plenty of people in Republic City live underground.” Kya huffed. “The poorest, for instance.”

“The poorest?”

“This city has a large homeless population.” Kya explained, tone sombre. “. And most of the working-class lives in filthy tenements in places like the Dragon Flats Borough, where there are regular turf wars between triads. Bender criminals versus nonbender citizens.”

“I didn’t know things were so bad.”

“Hey, it’s the joys of city living.” Kya snarked. “We have slums in view of glittering towers, and the mega-rich can afford to live in massive mansions far away from the squalor.”

“…” Katara threaded her hands together and looked down. “Ba Sing Se is worse, right?”

Kya nodded.

Maybe I can help some of them? Katara thought. Try and make some sort of lasting change. But to do that, I’ll need help. Powerful help. Like a councilman. She took a deep breath. Don’t get ahead of yourself Katara. You still need to find Suki. Take it one step at a time. Start with the hospitals and then go from there.

They drove to a small jetty with a boat next to it. A hut sat at the water’s edge.

After paying the taxi driver, Kya went and pounded on the door. “Kyando, open up! We need the ferry!”

Kyando emerged from the hut, blinking tiredly and scratching his scruffy white beard. “Eh, what do ya want?” He yawned, not bothering to cover his mouth.

Kya gagged. Behind her, Katara had to resist the urge to do the same. Kyando reeked of alcohol and unwashed sweat.

Katara turned away and took a deep breath, then turned back and smiled. “Can you please take us to Air Temple Island?” She asked politely.  

“As I told the monkey, I can’t take you.” Kyando mumbled. “M’been told not to.”

“Monkey?”

“Yeah. The circus animal.” Kyando said. “He wanted to go over to the island, but I said no.” He frowned. “There were also a buncha reporters, but I told em’ to fuck off.”

At least he’s not drunk. Katara thought. Just hung over.

“Kyando, it’s me.” Kya grinned uneasily and waved at him. “Tenzin’s sister.”

Kyando blinked, bleary eyes focusing. When he realised who they were, he swore under his breath and stood up straighter. “Kya, s-sorry. I didn’t recognize you.”

“It’s okay.” Kya soothed him. “We need to get to the island. Can you please take us?”

“S-sure.” Kyando nodded. “Lemme get the boat ready.”

“Do you need help?” Katara said.

“No.” Kyando dismissed her and stomped up the jetty.

“Is he usually like this?” Katara frowned.

“No.” Kya said. “I think he’s just rattled. Because- “

“WOAH!”

*Splash*

Kyando was flailing and gurgling in the water, too panicked to swim properly.

Katara and Kya rushed to help him. Together, they raised him out of the bay with their bending and then deposited him onto the shore. Water went everywhere. Kya pushed her out of the way, taking the brunt of the splash.

“Y-y-you saved my life.” Kyando said, coughing harshly. “Th-thanks.”

“Don’t mention it.” Kya muttered, staring at her soaked clothing and wrinkling her nose in disgust. “Welp, I’m going to need a nice long bath when I get back.”

“Oh, right.” Kyando stumbled to his feet. “I should get the boat ready.”

“Woah, woah,” Katara put a hand on his shoulder. “You’re in no condition to do anything.”

Kyando shrugged her off and shook his head. “I need to do it. Make up for all I’ve done. You can…you can watch over me or something.”

“Okay.” Katara said, nodding along in an effort to placate him. “I’ll watch over you.” I don’t want him to hurt himself. And…I want to get back to Air Temple Island before anyone else sees us and I get swarmed again.

Kyando unfurled the sails, tied up the rigging, and then unlocked the steering wheel. “All aboard!” He yelled, grinning at them.

Kya and Katara shared a reluctant look and then clambered onto the boat. Kyando chuckled and steered them out of the harbour. Thankfully, they reached the island without incident.

“Thanks again for saving my life.” Kyando muttered, rubbing his neck. “Umm, if you see Tenzin, tell him I’ve stopped doing that thing I was doing and that I wanna start the ferry again.”

“I’m sure he knows.” Kya said quickly. “We’ll need the ferry in the next few days.”

“It’ll be my pleasure. Just radio me.”

They disembarked onto the island with their bags.  Kyando sailed away, waving at them as he returned to the mainland.

“Hopefully, he won’t crash.” Kya joked. “We won’t be there to save him.”

“He’ll be okay.” Katara watched the boat depart. “He seems to be more comfortable on a boat than off one.”

“Yeah…” Kya pursed her lips. “I’m going to have a bath and catch up with Toph and Zuko.”

“I’m going to see my brother.”

“He should still be in the library.” Kya cocked her head. “Do you want your gift?”

“Yes.”

Kya handed her a bag. They nodded at each other and then parted ways.

Katara entered the library slowly. “Sokka?” She called out.

Her brother was sitting in a chair, engrossed in a book. He snapped it shut, then whirled around and grinned at her. “Hey, sis. How did the shopping spree go? Did you spend all of Kya’s money?”

“It went well…and not so well.” Katara sighed and explained everything. By the end of her story, Sokka was frowning heavily, mouth set in such a pinched line it was almost comical. “Tenzin was right.” He said. “We need to be very careful. We can’t let anyone know who we really are. There’d be a panic.”  

“What?”

“Think about it sis,” Sokka leaned back in his chair and put his hands together, tucking them under his chin with a thoughtful expression. “Avatar Aang has come back from the dead with a bunch of his friends. Okay, some of them are still alive, but that doesn’t matter- people won’t like it. They’ll freak out. We need to find Suki and get home as quickly as possible.”

“Have you made any progress in your research?” Katara asked, eyeing the haphazard tumble of books and scrolls on the table in front of them.

Sokka nodded. “Yes. I’ve thought of several locations where Suki could be. I’ve also been researching the layout of the city, and I feel that I have a good enough grasp of it that I can look for her on my own.” He grinned. “I’ve also been brainstorming some good jokes I can share with her when I find her! Like ‘Suki, can you believe that we’re in the future? Took us long enough!’”

“That’s a terrible joke.”

“You always say that.”

They both laughed. “I’m going to go to the main hospital- RC General, to look for her.” Katara said. “I can visit the burn victims from the explosion at the same time. If she’s not there, I’ll check other hospitals. If that doesn’t pan out…then I’ll contact Tarrlok.”

“You sure?” Sokka blinked at her in surprise.

“I am.”

“Katara…thank you.” He sounded like he was about to cry.  

“Sokka, there’s no need to be sad.” Katara said quickly. “I err, got you a gift.”

“A gift?” Sokka perked up, tears forgotten.

“Yes.” Katara opened her bag and revealed the contents to him. “It’s a set of new clothing.”

“Oh.” Sokka frowned for a moment, then smiled. “Thank sis.” 

“You’ll be able to look for Suki without sticking out like a sore thumb.” Katara huffed. “Believe me. You’ll need it.”

“And I’ll look cool to boot.” Sokka started bobbing up and down excitedly in his chair. “I wonder what Suki will think of my new outfit when I find her?”

“One step at a time Sokka.” Katara chuckled, then took a deep breath and sobered up. “I’ve…I’ve been worried about you. You’ve spent so much time in this room, cloistered away.”

“Katara…” Sokka furrowed his brow, hands curling into his lap and grasping his clothing. “I’ve been busy. I haven’t been wasting my time.”

“I know you haven’t” Katara murmured. “But aren’t you ready to leave this room and rejoin the living? You can start looking for Suki tomorrow. I promise I won’t tell Kya about your plans to sneak out alone.” She smiled at him. “Now that I’ve visited it myself, I can give you some pointers about the city. It’s a confusing place.”

“Thank you.” Sokka returned her smile. “You do so much for me sis.”

“We do so much for each other.” Katara said. “Now, why don’t we get something to eat?”

“You just about read my mind!” Sokka leapt to his feet, stretching his arms. “I’m so hungry I could eat a whole Puffin-seal!”

Katara raised an eyebrow and glanced at the mess on the table. “Erm, shouldn’t you clean up first?”

“I’ll do it later.” Sokka shrugged. “I’m too excited to do it right now.”

“Right.”

“Besides, I don’t know where all the books go.” He admitted. “Some acolyte took them off the shelves for me.”

Katara gave him a disbelieving look.

“I’m telling the truth sis.” He pouted.

“I’ll help you clean up.” Katara said. “The least we can do is put the room into shape.”

“O-okay.”

Together, they sorted the books into neat piles and rolled up all the scrolls. Then they stood back and surveyed their work, making sure there was nothing left to do.

“All done. Time to eat!” Sokka announced, rubbing his hands together with glee.

“Yeah…” Katara pursed her lips. “Let’s go.”

Together, they left the dusty library behind.

*Ring Ring* *Ring Ring*

“Lin, why are you calling the temple in the middle of the day?”

“Kya…my sister arrived last night.” There was an audible sigh. “She wants to see Toph.”

“Well, we can arrange a meeting quite easily.” Kya said. “The ferry is back up and running. Kyando can be trusted again.”

“I’d rather not chance it.” Lin muttered. “We need to be super careful about our…guests.”

“Yeahhh, about that…” Kya sucked in a breath. “Katara and I went to the Water District today and we kinda sorta got noticed by a whole crowd of people.”

“Kya!” Lin chided her. “What happened?”

“It wasn’t our fault!” Kya defended herself. “There was a group of teenagers- “She snorted. “It doesn’t matter. Katara won’t make the front page of the Republic News. She’ll likely just appear in some gossip rags.”

“Oh, you poor naïve child.” Lin deadpanned. “Tarrlok will hear of this somehow.”

“Well, let’s agree to disagree.”

“Do you need anything else?”

“Yes.” Kya said. “Katara wants to visit RC General so she can check on the injured people from the explosion. The ones she saved.”

“I can arrange that.” Lin nodded. “It won’t be too difficult.”

“Thank you.” Kya paused, mulling over her words. “As for Suyin and Toph…why don’t we meet up at the Probending arena tomorrow? They can speak after the match.”

“Sure.” Lin grumbled. “Kya, there’s something else. Suyin told me a number of…concerning things.”

“What?”

“Our mother visited Zaofu. With the older Zuko.” Lin sounded tired. “She told Suyin that the spirits were going silent- I have no idea what she was babbling about. But, basically, there’s something wrong with the Spirit World.”

Kya pinched her nose. “That’s bad. I should tell mom.” She paused. “And Tenzin.”

“It’s likely connected to the arrival of Aang and his friends.”

“How? They ripped a hole in the fabric of the universe and it’s causing bad things to happen?” Kya joked. “I’m not completely dismissing the possibility, but we need to be more certain.”

“Unfortunately, there aren’t too many spiritualists around anymore.” Lin stated. “It’s going to be hard to get insight into the Spirit World without a professional.”

“Aang can probably do it.”

“I’m not putting him in danger.”

“Woah, woah, woah.” Kya said in a slow, soothing tone.” Take a deep breath. We’ll find someone else, and we’ll get this all sorted out.”

There was silence on the other end for a moment and then she heard a sharp exhale. “Thank you, Kya. I swear…these kids are going to be the death of me.”

“I’m worried about them too.” Kya said. “But to get to see dad- Aang, again…and Sokka.” She sniffed, tears brimming in her eyes. “It’s incredible.”

“I missed them too.” Lin admitted. “Even if child-Toph is infuriating.”

A moment passed.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Kya said with a smile, wiping her eyes with a sleeve.

“See you tomorrow.” Lin repeated more gruffly, but not unkindly.

They both hung up.

Chapter Text

Two weeks later, Korra could still remember every part of the nightmare vividly.

She was floating in a black void as if swimming in a pool of weightless water. A faint sense of panic started to overcome her. Where was she? Why was she here?

Suddenly, a bright white light erupted out of the darkness. Pain shot through her. Her body- no, her very essence- was convulsing. It was like someone was trying to split her in two. She screamed, but no sound came out of her mouth.

Something- another light, less bright than the first- was being pulled out of her. As each second passed, she started to feel weaker and weaker.

No, no, no! Korra panicked, trying to grab the faint rays. Her hands went right through them. 

Then, in a single moment, the bright light almost completely receded, leaving behind a white pinprick in the fabric of the void.

Korra’s own light came rushing back to her, settling into the confines of her body. She sighed in relief, then glared at the glow. For some reason, it irritated her, like an itch that wouldn’t go away, unless she learned how to scratch it properly.

That doesn’t make any sense. Korra thought. How am I supposed to scratch a pinprick of light? She took a deep breath and willed it to go away, but nothing happened

 The light started to shimmer, threatening to do something. But what it was, she couldn’t tell-

“Avatar Korra!” A cold hand was shaking her shoulder. “Avatar Korra!”

“Mmf- WAH!” Korra woke up, kicking out. One of her feet made contact with something- or rather, someone- solid, sending them sprawling to the floor. Sitting up and breathing harshly, it took her a few moments to figure out what was happening.

Three White Lotus guards were staring at her, with wide, terrified, eyes. Two of them were helping the third one to his feet. He was rubbing his jaw. An ugly, foot-shaped, bruise was forming on it.

“Whargh?” Korra slurred. She coughed harshly, trying to clear her throat. “What happened?”

The guards exchanged looks. “We came to check on you.” One of them said. “You were screaming.”

“Screaming?” Korra frowned. “I just had a bad nightmare. It was nothing.”

“It didn’t sound like nothing.” The guard muttered, mouth set in a tense line, then he blinked, realising what he had just said, and backpedalled. “I mean- you were screaming in pain. I’ve never heard anything like it. We came hurrying over to check on you. You even woke up some of the sleeping guards in the barracks.”

“I-I did?”

The guard nodded.

*WHAM*

Her bedroom door flew open, and Naga came barrelling in. The guards barely scrambled out of her way.

Korra embraced her animal companion, patting her head with both arms. “I’m okay, Naga.” She soothed. The polar bear dog nuzzled her desperately, emitting a high-pitched whine.

The guard who had spoken before bit his lip. “Umm. Do you want to see Master Katara?”

“Y-yes.” Korra murmured. “Can you tell her I’m coming? And- “She hesitated and then turned to the guard she had kicked. “I’m sorry that I hurt you.”

The injured guard smiled. “It’s okay, Avatar Korra. I’ll get a healer to look at it and then I’ll be right as rain.”

The original guard cleared his throat. “We’ll take him to the barracks. One of the waterbenders can heal him.” He nodded at her seriously.” I’ll get someone to rouse Master Katara.” He paused. “We’ll give you some privacy.”

The guards departed. Korra released a sharp breath. “C’mon girl.” She huffed, patting Naga again. “Let’s go see Katara.” She got dressed and left her room, heading for the medical hut. Everything’s all right Korra. She assured herself. Nothing’s wrong. Naga followed closely behind, panting softly. 

Sure enough, Katara didn’t find anything wrong with her. Physically, at least.

The next day, Korra felt slightly off but chalked it up to the nightmare and threw herself into her training to distract herself.

Then…Tenzin sent them a distressing telegram.

A younger version of Avatar Aang had appeared in Republic City, along with younger versions of Toph and Katara. The next day, Bumi informed them that he had found younger versions of Zuko and Sokka in the Fire Nation.

People at the compound had varying reactions to the news. Most of them panicked, some of them got excited, a few didn’t, or rather pretended, not to care. Katara shut herself away for a whole day, before emerging the next morning, as calm and collected as ever.

As for Korra, she didn’t quite believe it at first. Then, she realised that Tenzin had no reason to lie. He was one of the most serious people she had ever met. The idea that he was trying to pull off an elaborate practical joke, was somehow even more ridiculous than the idea of a previous Avatar returning from the dead. And Bumi…well, he loved tricking people. If he had messaged them first, she wouldn’t have believed him. But because of Tenzin, she had to face the facts.

Aang, her predecessor, was back. Even if he didn’t have his powers, it meant that she was no longer the only Avatar in the world. At first, she felt unsettled. What did it mean? How should she treat this Aang-doppelganger? And most of all, how would Katara react?

Korra loved her waterbending teacher. Katara was like a grandmother to her. It couldn’t be easy knowing that your dead husband had come back to life, as a child, and that you would soon have to meet him face-to-face.

Tenzin had organized a visit with his family. And he was bringing Aang with him. She should feel excited, ecstatic that her airbending trainer was finally visiting her, but she couldn’t help but be worried.

A week or so later, as she was practising her firebending at the training platform, there was a yell from one of the watchtowers.

“I can see Oogi- wait! There are two bison!”

Korra froze. Then she grinned. And laughed. Sudden, intense, excitement bubbled up from within her. Ignoring everyone else, she took off, running towards the front of the compound as fast as she could.

The gate was already inching open. A crowd had assembled: guards, servants, and several minor lotuses.  

Korra ran right up to Katara. “They’re almost here!” She cheered.

Katara smiled back at her, but it was more of a wince. “I know.”

Korra’s joy turned to concern. “Are you…?”

“I’m okay.” Katara said quickly. “I’m just- “

Groans resounded throughout the air.

Korra and Katara exchanged a wide-eyed look and then gazed at the sky.

The bison glided into view, tails shifting against the current as they circled to land. Korra recognized Oogi immediately, but the other one…

Appa.

Hello old friend. She thought, her eyes filling with tears. No- I have Naga. She shook her head. Why am I-

Appa turned. Two people were on his back. One of them was Jinora, waving at everyone excitedly, and the other was a bald boy, with blue arrows like Tenzin’s, anxiously scanning the crowd.

Korra ducked out of sight, hiding her face. She wasn’t ready.

Katara put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. “Don’t be nervous, Korra.”

“But Katara.” Korra bit her lip. “It’s Aang.” Even as a kid, he’s done so much more than me. And I…I’ve never spoken to another Avatar before. She shuddered. It was a stark reminder of her failures.

Katara laughed gently. “Knowing Aang, he’s probably just as nervous as you are, if not more so.”

She perked up slightly. “Really?”

“Oh, yes.”

“He must be so confused, being transported from his own timeline.” Korra said, giving Katara a determined look. “I’m going to do my best to make him feel welcome.”

Katara smiled at her proudly.

They turned back, just in time to see the bison land.

Tenzin and his family dismounted eagerly, while Aang stayed behind, still on Appa. He was frozen in place, staring at the crowd of people with a furrowed brow and a deep grimace.

Tenzin frowned at him and hurried back. They exchanged words. Whatever the older airbender said made Aang relax, and he nodded and leapt gracefully off Appa’s back, pirouetting to the ground on a gust of wind.

Everyone clapped. Some people cheered. Aang blushed and bowed, before hurrying to join Tenzin and the others.

Korra felt a twinge of jealousy. She wished she could do that.

“Ready, Korra?” Katara asked her kindly.

Korra nodded.

Katara went to chat with Pema, while she waved at the kids. “Korra!” They cried, rushing to embrace her.

“Oof!” Korra grinned, hugging them back.

“We missed you!” Ikki blurted out.

“I missed you too, Ikki.”

“Korra! You need to meet our brother.” Meelo exclaimed

“Your brother?”

Jinora rolled her eyes. “He means Aang.”

“Ah.” Korra smiled. “So, you’ve been getting along?”

“He’s amazing.” Jinora squeed. “I’ve learned so much from him! He has soooo many stories!”

“I can’t wait to hear them.” Korra said, looking up.

Tenzin was talking to Aang again, trying to reassure him. He squeezed the younger airbender’s shoulder and left to join his wife and mother. Aang watched him go, a pained expression on his face.

Korra frowned. That was weird. She disentangled herself from the three kids, who all whined and grabbed onto her. “Guys, I need to meet Aang.” She said seriously. “Go and meet your grandma.”

Ikki and Jinora immediately stood back, nodding in understanding, while Meelo scrunched up his face. “Who?”

“We’ll deal with him Korra.” Jinora said. “Go and talk to Aang.” She led her siblings away.

Korra took a deep breath and started walking, deciding to meet Aang head-on.

The younger airbender was staring at the ground, twiddling his thumbs and shuffling his feet in the snow. It took him a few seconds to realise that she was approaching. Startled, he glanced up at her.

Their eyes met.

Korra paused, struck by his appearance. He was so small, so young. If she didn’t know any better, she would’ve thought he was another one of Tenzin’s kids, than a former Avatar.

Aang smiled nervously at her, and she found herself smiling back. This was so weird, but it didn’t have to be a bad kind of weird, it could be a good kind of weird instead.

Nice rambling Korra. She thought, mentally slapping herself. I should say hello before this gets any more awkward.

A choking sound from behind her disturbed her reverie. Aang flinched, his smile morphing into a grimace.

Korra turned around.

Katara was clutching her mouth with both hands and tears were streaming from her eyes.

“Mother!” Tenzin frowned, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Do you need to go inside?”

“Tenzin…no.” She shook her head. “No. I need to do this. I need to see him.” He nodded and stepped away, giving her a worried look.

Katara smiled at the younger Airbender. “Hello, Aang.” She said, still crying. “It’s good to see you.”

“H-hey K-katara.” Aang stuttered, biting his lip. “I-it’s good to see you too. You’re umm…” He glanced at Tenzin’s kids. “…you’re a Gran-Gran now!”

Katara chuckled. “I am. A very proud Gran-Gran.” She beamed at Tenzin. “With a great, responsible, son who’s a fantastic airbender.”

“Mother…” Tenzin went red. “Please…”

“Oh, I missed you, my baby boy.” Katara cooed at him. “You’re doing such a good job!”

Tenzin went even redder.

Korra and Aang both laughed. Some of the tension in the air dissipated.

“Come on, Tenzin.” Katara told her blushing son. “Let’s leave them to talk.” The two of them walked away.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Avatar Korra.” Aang said, his smile returning.

 “Same here, Avatar Aang.” Korra grinned.

“Erm, well, I’m not the Avatar anymore.”

“You still trained as an Avatar.” Korra pointed out. “I’m eager to learn from you. I want to learn airbending as quickly as possible.” So I can get out of here, become a proper Avatar, and start helping people.

 “You can’t really rush airbending.” Aang said. “And, well, Tenzin is here to teach you, not me.”

“You can both teach me.”

“I don’t- “

“Aang, Korra, look!” Ikki squealed.

They both looked at her.

Ikki was rolling through the snow, giggling and flailing her arms, using her airbending to create a miniature blizzard. Then she jumped up joyfully. “Ta da!” Unfortunately, the sudden movement sent a large gust of wind barrelling towards her siblings and mother.

Jinora and Meelo laughed and easily dodged out of the way, but all Pema could do was frantically hug herself as the wind almost knocked her off her feet.

“Sorry, Mom!” Ikki yelled.

“I’m fine dear.” Pema muttered, breathing deeply and fixing her hair. “I have a great idea! Why don’t we all go inside, where it’s nice and warm?”

“Yes. You need to rest.” Tenzin chimed in.

“I want to show Aang around the compound.” Korra said. “And- err, maybe take him for a ride on Naga?”

“I’m not sure- “

“I’d love that!” Aang beamed. “And I can take you for a ride on Appa!”

“That won’t happen.” Tenzin shook his head. “The White Lotus won’t allow it.”

Korra crossed her arms and glared at him. “We won’t fly away! We’ll just circle around!”

“We can always ride Appa some other time.” Aang said quickly. “I really want to see the compound and meet Naga.”

Korra perked up. “Let’s get going.” She started running back, almost skipping in excitement.

Aang zipped past her on an air scooter, giving her a carefree wave.

Korra huffed and increased speed. She met up with him on the other side of the gate.

“It’s uhh…very cold here.” Aang observed.

“In more ways than one.” Korra muttered, then blinked. Aang doesn’t want to hear your whining. You need to impress him! Show him how far you’ve come. “Why don’t I show you some of my moves?”

“Err, sure.” Aang said. “Can’t you just show me around first?”

Korra nodded. She showed him the guard barracks, the outer perimeter and watch towers, the obstacle course, and the main training platform. Throughout it all, Aang didn’t say a word, just stared at everything with his brow furrowed and lips pursed.

Korra started feeling worried as she took him towards the main building. Had she done something wrong?  

“Hey, Korra, have you ever been to Wolf Cove?” Aang asked suddenly. His expression was neutral.

“I was born there.” Korra sighed. “I’m only allowed to visit it several times per year, under heavy supervision of course.”

“Hrm.” Aang scowled at the building ahead of them.  

“Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” Aang assured her with a smile. “This is just a lot to take in.” He laughed. “I’m basically speaking to a future version of myself.”

“And I’m speaking to a past version of myself.” Korra laughed with him, letting herself relax. It was all in her head. She hadn’t messed up.

“Why don’t you show me around your home?” Aang said. “Then you can show me some of your ‘moves’?”

“Sure!”

Inside, Aang’s mood rapidly improved. He peppered her with questions about everything he saw, and Korra answered them as best she could.  

“I still can’t believe that electric lighting is a thing.” He said as they left the dining area. “Technology here is so advanced. In the past, we had to make do with lamps and candles.”

“It must be so overwhelming…” She ventured, giving him a soft look. “…to suddenly be transported to the future.”

“It is.” Aang admitted quietly.

Korra took a deep breath. “Can I ask…what is Republic City like?”

“I don’t know.” Aang replied. “I didn’t have an opportunity to visit it before I left.” He smiled. “The skyline is pretty though.”

“Well, you’ve seen more of it than I have.” Korra joked.

“That’s correct.” Aang’s expression darkened. “And it’s not right.”

“What?”

“Nothing.” Aang was smiling again. “Before you show me some ‘moves’, why don’t you take me on a quick ride on Naga?”

“Erm, sure.”

As they approached Naga’s pen at the back of the compound, she started whining and jumping up and down, scratching at the gate.

“Okay, girl.” Korra slowly opened it. “Please behave. Aang is a- “

*WOOSH*

Naga ran past her and knocked Aang over, licking his face. In response, he just lay there and laughed and laughed.

“Naga!” Korra chastised her animal companion, hurrying over and pulling on her collar. “Aang, I’m so sorry.” Naga relented and withdrew, wagging her tail furiously.

“That’s okay.” Aang said, leaping to his feet with a grin. “I like all animals.”

Korra chuckled. “C’mon Naga, it’s time to go for a run!”

Naga started lathering her with kisses. It took them a few minutes to calm her down and put her saddle on. She kept twisting out of their hands and running around in circles.

Finally, Korra got on her back and helped Aang climb up behind her. They raced through the compound, scattering people left and right.

Korra stopped before the gate and looked up at the nearest watchtower. “Hey! Let us out! I’m taking Aang for a quick ride around the tundra.”

The gate opened. Korra urged Naga forward. Once they were outside, she sped up, heading for the open fields of ice.

Naga ran and ran, tongue lolling out of her mouth. Korra threw her head back and whooped as they rushed through the snow. She loved this.

“Have you ever gone penguin sledding?” Aang asked, giving her a thoughtful look.

“No.” Korra said, carefully shifting Naga right. They were on the very fringes of the tundra. To make sure she was still in bounds, she looked up at a nearby hill and met the gaze of a White Lotus Sentry. They nodded at her and gave her a thumbs up.

Aang frowned. “They watch you out here too?”

“Yeah.” Korra huffed. “I wished they wouldn’t. I wished I had a little bit of freedom in my life.”

“Freedom…” Aang trailed off.

Korra didn’t press him. She wanted to enjoy the rest of her ride. They didn’t have much time left.

They returned to the compound just as the sun was setting. “I don’t think I have time to show you my ‘moves’.” Korra grumbled. “I’ll see you at dinner in an hour, okay?”

“Looking forward to it.” Aang took a deep breath. “And, umm, Korra…I have an idea…”

--

They met at Naga’s pen in the early hours of the morning. It was still pretty dark. The sun wouldn’t rise for an hour or so.

“Aang, I’m still not sure about this.” Korra murmured, biting her lip and patting her polar bear dog.

“You’ve snuck out before, right?” Aang said, glancing around to make sure they were alone.

“A few times, but never with someone else.” Korra replied, anxiously stroking Naga’s nose. “And never for too long. I’d return before anyone could notice my absence.”

“Korra, we’re not going too far.” Aang promised. “If we don’t find any colonies, we’ll come right back.” He smiled. “And don’t worry about being punished. I’ll take the blame.”

“Aang…” Korra gave him a worried look. “Why are you doing this?”

“Because you need it.” Aang argued, gesturing around them. “This place is a cage. A comfortable one, but a cage, nonetheless.” He grimaced.” By imprisoning you here, the White Lotus has made a terrible mistake.”

“But they did it to keep me safe- “

“Air is the element of freedom.” Aang said passionately, almost raising his voice. “They control all your movements! You can only leave several times a year, go on short rides on Naga, and you don’t have enough contact with people your own age. If you want to have any hope of learning airbending, you need to leave this place, learn to stand up for yourself, and push your boundaries.”

“That’s why you were so upset earlier…” Korra said, her eyes going wide. “…you were angry at the White Lotus.”

Aang sighed. “I’m still angry at them. It’s so…” He gritted his teeth. “I just need to do one thing and then we can go.” He stuck something onto Naga’s pen. Korra raised an eyebrow at him. “It’s a note. He explained. “Just in case they realise we’re gone, and they go looking for us. I don’t want...” He hesitated. “I don’t want anyone to panic.”

“You mean Tenzin, right?” Korra said softly. They care about each other. A lot.

Aang nodded, then grinned. “Let’s get going. Trust me, you’re going to love this.”

They saddled up Naga and Korra started bending a path through the snow, collapsing the way behind them to cover their tracks. Once they were beyond the perimeter, they started running.

Korra lit up a ball of fire, illuminating the area around them. Her heart was racing, and she was struggling not to smile. I can’t believe I’m doing this! Sneaking out with Aang!

“We need to head for the coastline.” Aang said, listening carefully. “That way!” He pointed west.

Korra turned left. After a few minutes, she heard something.

Chittering and squeaking.

Her eyes went wide. “Are those…?”

“Otter penguins!” Aang said, grinning at her.

They rode up a steep hill, finding themselves looking out over a small bay. The sky was just beginning to lighten up. Penguins were jumping in and out of the water, preening themselves, or playing games with one another.

Korra nudged Naga forward. Slowly but surely, the polar bear dog trudged downhill. All the penguins froze in place, some during mid-swim, giving them uncertain looks as they approached.

She stopped a good distance away and then dismounted, holding onto Naga’s reins so the polar bear dog wouldn’t spook them. “Right, how are we going to do this?” She said. “Ask them politely?”

Aang laughed and shook his head. “With this.” He slid off Naga and retrieved something from her saddlebags.

Korra wrinkled her nose. It smelt funny. “What’s that?”

Aang proudly showed her a silvery thing. “Fish!”

“Fish?”

“Fish!” Aang nodded. “It’s the perfect bait for the penguins. I put a whole bunch of them in Naga’s saddlebags.”

“Oh.”

As if on cue, a group of penguins waddled over. Squeaking loudly, their nostrils flaring, they stared hungrily at the fish in Aang’s hands. “See?” He said, waving it around. The penguins followed his every moment.

“I see.” Korra laughed.

They found two penguins that matched their sizes, fed them fish to gain their trust, and then led them to the top of the hill.

Aang mounted his penguin and grinned.

Korra did the same and then swallowed nervously. The hill was very steep.

“Ready?” Aang asked.

She took a deep breath and nodded.

“Then let’s goooooo!” Aang shot down the slope, whooping with joy.

Korra slowly inched her penguin forward, until she was rolling down the hill. Her apprehension melted away as they gained speed, and she soon found herself shrieking and laughing. Crisscrossing through the snow, she rolled to a stop at the bottom, only a few meters away from Aang. “Thrilling, isn’t it?” He smirked at her.

“Can we go again?” She asked, eyes glittering.

“Sure!”

They raced again and again. Above them, the sun steadily rose, illuminating everything in a pale glow. In the meantime, Naga ran around, rolling in the snow and sniffing everything she could find.

Eventually, the penguins grew tired and shoved them off, waddling back to their families and diving under the water.

Aang watched them go with a sad smile and then turned to her. “How about we watch the sunrise and then head back?”

“I’d love to.” Korra said.

They sat on Naga and faced the horizon, watching the sky light up in burning shades of pink, orange, and yellow.

“Hey Aang…” Korra hesitated. “I know we just met…but can I tell you something?”

“Anything.” Aang gave her a serious look.   

“I’m…kinda jealous of you.” She confessed, hugging herself. “You can airbend. I can’t.”

“That’s weird.” Aang chuckled nervously. “I’m jealous of you too.”

“What?” She recoiled in surprise. “Why?”

“I miss being able to bend the other elements.” Aang admitted, glancing at the sky. “It’s like I’m missing a limb- no, a part of myself- if that makes sense.”

“It does.” Korra furrowed her brow. She had realised something.  “Aang, a few weeks ago, I had a weird nightmare. I think…it might have happened on the same day you and your friends arrived here.”

“W-what?” Aang’s jaw fell. “Please, tell me everything.”

Korra explained her nightmare, and what had happened afterwards. As he listened to her, Aang got more and more horrified. “What was that light?” He said. “And why was it ‘threatening’ you?”

“I have no idea.” She muttered. “I have no spiritual powers whatsoever.” She kicked the ground in frustration. “I haven’t been able to enter the Avatar state. I haven’t been able to contact any of my past lives, including you- the other you, I mean. I haven’t even been able to contact one single measly spirit. It sucks!”

Aang paused thoughtfully, then gave her a comforting smile. “Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I had the opposite problem. I had too strong of a connection to the Avatar state. Once I had entered it, it was almost impossible for me to leave it.” He lowered his head in shame. “Someone would have to calm me down, usually Katara. Sometimes, I almost killed people in my mindless rage.”

“That sounds…difficult.” Korra said, staring out into the sea. “You’ve been through so much…but you still became the Avatar the world needed and saved everyone.”

“Well, I didn’t save everyone.” Aang shuddered. “I’m pretty sure I stranded my friends here and- “

“You don’t know that.” Korra said strongly, then blinked. She was…feeling oddly protective of Aang. “Look, I need to finish my training and become a fully-fledged Avatar. You can help me do that.”

Aang rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “That’s actually why I came here. My friends and I need your help to get home.”

“Makes sense.” Korra nodded in understanding. “Why don’t we get started today?” She elbowed him and grinned. “I can’t wait to learn airbending!”

“You’d better watch out because I’m going to be extra hard on you.” Aang joked.

Korra laughed and picked up Naga’s reins. “Let’s go. I bet Tenzin is about to die of anxiety.”

“Y-yeah.” Aang winced.

As they rode back to the compound, Korra couldn’t help but smile. She felt…relieved. Like she’d completed the first step of a difficult journey.

Unfortunately, the guards weren’t as amused. They glared at them as the front gate swung open. Tenzin and Katara were waiting for them on the other side.

The Airbender crossed his arms and scowled angrily, tapping his foot against the ground. Katara just looked…disappointed, shaking her head as they got closer.

Korra wilted under their gazes. She knew she had misbehaved, but it’d felt like the right thing to do. I’m not going to say sorry. She decided. Even if it hurts.

They dismounted from Naga. Korra stared them down, mouth set in a grim line, while Aang shuffled his feet, hands behind his back, refusing to meet their gazes.

“I’m so ashamed of both of you.” Tenzin chided them. “I was so- “He exhaled sharply, pinching his nose. “I thought something had happened. I was preparing to rally the guards, have them search the whole South Pole…until I found your note.”

“Tenzin…” Aang said desperately. “I took Korra penguin sledding. Don’t blame her. It was my idea- “

“I know it was, Aang.” Tenzin’s tone was pointed, but unsteady. For a moment, his angry façade fell, revealing a pinched, pained, expression, before it came right back up. “I arranged for you to come south because I trusted you to follow the rules and- “

“Hey! Aang has nothing to apologise for!” Korra declared, glaring at him and clenching her hands into fists. “And neither do I!”

Tenzin paused, shaking his head. “Korra, you aren’t ready- “

“Tenzin, I am ready!” Korra continued, refusing to back down. “I’m not a little girl anymore. I’m the Avatar. I need to learn the four elements.” She sighed. “I’ve learned three of them, I have one left- Air. The element of freedom. Aang was giving me a lesson.”

“A lesson?” Tenzin said hoarsely, almost croaking. He opened and closed his mouth, then shook his head.

Aang gave him an anguished look. “Tenzin, I didn’t mean to- “

Tenzin raised his hand. “I don’t want to hear it. You’re both in a lot of trouble.”

Korra side-eyed him. What is going on between them? It’s almost like a parent telling off his child… Whatever it is, I need to help Aang sort it out. He helped me. It’s only fair that I do the same for him.

Mercifully, Katara swooped in before the situation got any more awkward. “Korra, Aang, would you like some breakfast?”

“Yes, please.” Aang said quietly. Korra just nodded.

“Also…I have some distressing news.” Katara sighed. “We wanted to verify it before we told both of you.”

“What?”

“I’ll tell you at breakfast.”

Exchanging a worried look, they trooped up the stairs and followed her into the main building.

Tenzin, however, stayed behind.

Chapter Text

One week ago

“Don’t worry Sokka.” Bumi declared with a grin. “I’ll see ya real soon. Sooner than you may think.”

“Right.” Sokka deadpanned. He was lying in bed, resting his leg. Bumi was about to return to the Fire Nation and rejoin his crew. “I’m sure the navy will let you go, after you skipped out on your responsibilities and escorted me to Republic City.”

Bumi blustered. “Th-they won’t hold it against me. Iroh g-gave me permission!”

“I’m sure he gave you permission with some big caveats.” Sokka gave him a pointed look. “Like staying on your ship and following orders like a good boy for the next couple of weeks.”

“Yeah…well…” Bumi said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. “You’re right.” He smiled. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t pop in for a quick hello when I next need to refuel in Republic City.”

“Which will be in a couple of weeks.” Sokka said, smiling back at him. “I’ll miss you though. No one else laughs at my bad jokes as much as you do.”

“Same here.” Bumi laughed. “Whenever I tell jokes, people complain soooo much. It’s either ‘Bumi, now’s not the right time’ or ‘Bumi, we need to concentrate, please stop being silly’.”

“Or they just stare at you with a stony expression.” Sokka muttered. “Like they feel bad for you.”

“Or they’re just bored of us.” Bumi huffed. “Well, they’re the boring ones.”

“They’re just upset because they’re not as sophisticated as we are.” Sokka said, waggling his eyebrows. “You and I, we have a smart sense of humour. They just don’t get it.”

Bumi laughed richly.

*Knock knock*

He glared at the door with an irritated sigh, then opened it an inch, exchanging harsh words with the person on the other side. The door opened further, and he took something from them.

 “What is it?” Sokka asked.

“Your sword.” Bumi said, turning back with a stony expression. He put it on the nightstand. “You left in on the ship.”

“Oh.” Sokka paused. “Umm…how silly of me.”

Bumi furrowed his brow.  “Sokka, I hafta to get going. Apparently, my crew is getting restless. I—I need to be there for them.”

“I understand, Bumi.” Sokka tried to smile but frowned instead. He felt guilty for sharing Bumi’s secret with the others. “Umm…”

“Don’t feel bad, Sokka.” Bumi said quickly. “It’s not your fault that I can’t stay. It’s those party poopers in command.”

“Hah.” Sokka chuckled weakly, unable to enjoy the joke.

Bumi gave him a worried look. “Don’t worry. You’ll find Suki before you know it. You’re like a Shirshu.”

Sokka couldn’t help it. He burst into a fit of giggles. “I don’t think that’s true.”

“Gah. I wish I could wander around Republic City with you, taking in the sights and sounds.” Bumi said, punching his hands together. “But duty calls.” He sobered up. “Sokka, when you find Suki, can you tell her…”

“What?”

“…tell her that I look forward to meeting her.” Bumi smiled. It didn’t quite reach his eyes.

He’s lying. Sokka realised. But what is he lying about? “I’ll tell her that.” He said. “But I’ll also tell her about how immature you are.”

“Oh ha ha.” Bumi chuckled. He took a deep breath and saluted. “See you around, Sokka.”

Sokka saluted him back. “Commander, you’re relieved. Go and prepare for your next mission.”

Bumi chuckled again. His expression became sad. “I’m really gonna miss ya…” He shook his head and hurried out.

Sokka bit his lip. He wished he could’ve told Bumi the truth. But it just wasn’t the right time. I’ll tell him when he gets back. He vowed. No matter how long it takes.

Sokka gasped as he stepped off the jetty.

Tenzin was right. Republic City was huge. And busy. And noisy. The cars. The people. Everything.

Dressed in the clothes Katara had bought for him, no one gave him a second look. Thank sis. Sokka smiled, then hefted his bag over his shoulder and started walking. I need to find a trolly station. Kya had loaned him some money. A few yuans. She thought they were going the next day. But he had taken the initiative and snuck out without her, telling the boatman she had given him permission.

Eventually, he came to a busy thoroughfare. Katara told me about this. Apparently, Republic City used coloured lights, red and green, to control traffic. Sure enough, when they turned red, the cars stopped. He took a deep breath and ran across as quickly as he could.

A few seconds later, the lights changed again, and the cars started moving. Sokka couldn’t help but grin. That was exciting. He consulted his map to make sure he was heading in the right direction and, without looking, stepped out into the next street-

*ZOOM*

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.” Sokka yelled in surprise, backpedalling furiously. I forgot to check the lights!

The person who had almost hit him circled back, stopping a few meters away. “I’m so sorry!” They said. “Are you okay?”

Sokka swallowed. “Erm, I think so?”

The person bit their lip and took off their helmet-

He froze, apprehension turning to awe.  

They were- she was- beautiful. She had long raven hair, pale green eyes, and crimson lips. Her brow was furrowed, and her eyes were full of concern, which only brought out even more of her beauty.

For a moment, his breath was taken away, before reality came crashing down. Sokka, you have a girlfriend! Stop staring! He mentally slapped himself.

“I-I’m so sorry.” The girl mumbled. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“It’s not your fault.” He said quickly, adjusting his jacket and coughing. “It was mine. I-I’m not used to the city yet.”

The girl cocked her head and smiled at him. “Is this your first time in Republic City?”

“Y-yes.” Sokka admitted. “To be honest, it’s a bit overwhelming.” He swallowed. “I’m, erm, trying to find a tram station.”

“Well, how about I give you a lift instead?” The girl offered. “It’s the least I can do for almost running you over.”

“That’d be nice.” Sokka forced himself to relax. “You can drop me off at the station.”

The girl gave him an amused look. “No, I meant I can drop you off at your destination. Travelling by moped is way faster than public transport.”

“Oh!” Sokka nodded excitedly. “Thank you so much!”

“You don’t need to thank me.” The girl laughed. “Where are you headed?”

“Just the centre of the city. I wanna look around.”

“I’m headed there myself.” The girl replied, opening the backseat of her moped and taking out another helmet. She handed it to him. Sokka raised an eyebrow. It was a bit small. “Do I have to wear this?”

“If you don’t, you could get decapitated by a passing car.” The girl said seriously. “Or, if you get knocked from the bike, you could suffer a head injury. That would kill you much slower. It’s not a pleasant way to go.”

“Ohh.” Sokka bit back his complaints and put the helmet on, then clambered up behind her.

“Hold on to me.” The girl instructed.

After a moment’s hesitation, Sokka put his arms around her waist.  

The girl revved her moped and they took off. Sokka yelped. They were moving fast. Thankfully, he quickly got used to the speed. As they travelled through the docks, he glanced around in wonder.  They were leaving the industrial area of the city behind and entering a more commercial one.

They stopped at a traffic light. The girl turned around and smiled at him. “By the way, my name’s Asami Sato. What’s yours?”

“Umm…” Sokka’s mind went blank. He still hadn’t chosen an alias. He desperately recalled every Water Tribe name he had ever heard, trying to pick one he could use.  

Asami looked at him expectantly, smile faltering a bit as the seconds ticked by.

“My name’s Pakku.” Sokka settled on the most senior name he could think of, hoping it would command respect. He didn’t want to take his father’s name. It didn’t feel right. “Sorry for taking so long to introduce myself. It’s just the effect the city is having on me. I’ve never seen buildings this tall before!”

Asami perked up. “No need to apologise. I was born here, and I’ve never left. For me, it’s all normal.”

The light turned green, and they set off again.

Asami pursed her lips. “I’m curious…where are you from?”

“The Southern Water Tribe.” He frowned, trying to remember his fake backstory. “I’m from a small village. You wouldn’t have heard of it.”

“Why are you visiting Republic City?”

He paused for a moment, then answered. “I’m here with my sister.”

“Your sister?”

“Yeah, her name is Katara.”

“Oh, like the famous waterbender.” Asami clicked her tongue. “The one that assisted Avatar Aang.”

“Yeah. Our parents really look up to her.” Sokka lied easily, pretending to huff in annoyance to sell it. “She’s a gifted waterbender as well. She saved all those people-”

Asami suddenly screeched to a halt, making him yelp. She took a deep breath and scooted to the side of the road to avoid traffic. “Your sister- is she the girl from the newspapers??” She said breathlessly. “The one who saved all those firefighters and journalists?”

Sokka winced. “Y-yeah”. He’d made a critical error and blabbed without thinking.  

“Woah.” Asami whistled in awe. “Your sister is a hero. And an amazing waterbender.”

“I can’t bend.” Sokka said gruffly. “I used to get so jealous of her.”

“Hey, I can’t bend either.” Asami shrugged, grinning at him. “But I can do other things. I’m a great engineer, racer, and I am learning business from my father. The point I’m trying to make is- we all bring something different to the table.”

“I know that.” Sokka laughed.

“But there are others who don’t, benders and non-benders alike.” Asami said, becoming oddly serious.

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing.” Asami brightened up. “Now, if you don’t mind, do you want me to give you a quick tour of the city? I still have an hour or so before I need to meet up with my dad.”

Sokka blinked. “Erm…sure.”  

“Great!”

Asami rejoined the rush of cars. Behind her, Sokka furrowed his brow. It’s kind of Asami to help me, but she certainly has a lot of free time on her hands. And why was she being so cryptic about benders and non-benders? He huffed. Well, it doesn’t matter. It’s not like I’ll ever see her again after today.

Asami drove over a bridge, expertly weaving through traffic. “This is Kyoshi bridge. It was named after the Kyoshi Warriors who helped Avatar Aang.”

Sokka looked out over the bay, glancing at Air Temple Island and the statue of his friend. “I’ve heard that a lot of things in this city were named after Aang and his friends.” Spirits, this is so surreal.

“Well, he founded it.” Asami said. “Now- “She turned a sharp left as they crossed to the other side, approaching a golden building at the end of a long pier. “That’s the Pro-bending Arena.”

“Oh, I’ve heard of Pro-bending.” He grinned. “That’s one shiny dome.”

“It is.” Asami nodded. “Although, it needs to be repainted.”

“Do you have a favourite team?”

She blushed heavily. “The F-fire F-ferrets.”

“Fire ferrets?”

“They’re the best!” Asami gushed. “The firebender and earthbender are brothers. They work so well together. But the waterbender…” She made a face. “Oof. He’s pretty terrible.”

“Riiight.” Sokka nodded politely. “What’s next?”

Asami coughed. “Yes. Let’s move on.” She turned right and headed further into the city. After a few minutes, they came to a wide square. One side of it was dominated by a large grey building. It took Sokka a few moments to realise it was completely made of metal. There was an alcove above the main door, which held the statue of a severe-looking woman with her hands on her hips.

He squinted at it, then flinched.

It was Toph.

“Is something wrong?” Asami asked, noticing his reaction.

“I’m fine.” He said quickly. “It’s just…that’s Toph, isn’t it? The Avatar’s earthbending teacher.”

“Yes.” Asami nodded. “She founded the Republic City Police Force and the Metalbenders Corps. She retired a decade or so ago and her daughter took over.” She drove around the corner and through some streets, arriving at a smaller square with an imposing building at the end of it.  

“That’s city hall.” Asami said. “It’s where the Councillors meet and decide laws.”

“Like Councilman Tenzin?”

“Yes. The master airbender.”

“Are there any nonbenders on the council?” Sokka pressed. “Just asking out of curiosity.”

“I’m not sure.” Asami said quietly. “I know The Northern Water Tribe Councillor is a bender.”

“Tarrlok…”

“Yeah.” Asami huffed. “He’s a show-off and a blowhard.” She turned red. “That’s what my dad calls him.”

Sokka laughed. “I’d like to meet your dad.”

“Unfortunately, that won’t be easy.” Asami joked. “He’s a very busy man.”

“Why?”

“He runs a megacorporation.” Asami said, winking at him. “He sells cars. They’re called Satomobiles. You might’ve heard of them.”

Sokka frowned at her for a few moments, then widened his eyes as he realised what she meant. “Oh, you’re that Sato.”

“I thought it was obvious.” Asami chuckled.

“Hey, I’m from a remote village in the South Pole! I’ve never seen a Satomobile before today!” Sokka retorted. “How was I supposed to know?”

Asami chuckled again, then beamed. “C’mon there’s one more place I want to show you and then I can drop you off.” She drove further on, approaching a large green area. “What’s that?” He asked.

“It’s Republic City Park.” Asami said, stopping next to a large fountain. “It was created by the city planners so that we urban dwellers would have a place to relax and enjoy nature.”

“This is what you guys consider “nature”?” Sokka looked around sceptically. Aside from a few bushes and trees, most of the park was filled with manmade structures such as benches, lampposts, and rubbish bins.  

“You know what I mean.”

Sokka watched as a vagrant, a scruffy man with threadbare clothing and a grey beard, rooted around in a bin before grinning and running away with some rotten food. “I’m not sure that I do.”

“When you’ve lived in the city a while, you’ll see.” Asami said. “The park is the only quiet place-“

“EVERYONE GATHER AROUND!” A loud voice squawked. “IT’S ALMOST TIME!”

Asami recoiled. Sokka was so shocked that he almost fell off the moped. “Who’s that asshole?” He blurted out without thinking.

“It’s an equalist.” Asami huffed. “If you’re visiting the city you should know about them…and how much of a nuisance they are.”

She didn’t have to ride far to find the speaker. He was a short stubby man standing on a table, wearing a long grey coat and a ridiculous grey hat. A few people were listening to him, but after a few moments, they began to wander away, looking for something more interesting to do.

Asami leaned back and crossed her arms, glaring at the protestor. Sokka frowned and followed her gaze.  

“WE NEED TO TAKE DOWN THE BENDER MENACE!” The Speaker screamed, spitting through his megaphone. “BENDERS INTIMIDATE US! WE DON’T NEED THEM!”

Loud fuck. Sokka thought, tuning him out and staring at the banner behind him, which was far more interesting. It depicted a hooded man wearing a strange mask, with a red and black symbol behind him: the letter for “Equality”.

“AMON WILL LEAD US ALL TO EQUALITY!” The speaker grinned. “SO, EVERYONE, RISE UP!”

“What the fuck is he talking about?” Sokka muttered. “And who is Amon? He sounds mysterious…and annoying.”

“Garbage.” Asami huffed. “Complete and utter garbage. As for Amon…I’ll tell you everything once we’re out of earshot.” She drove away and cleared her throat. “What that guy was droning on about is something called the ‘Equalist Movement’. They’re a gang of violent extremists who want to get rid of all benders.” She paused for breath. “Amon is their leader. No one knows anything about him, or if he’s even real.”

“How do you know all of this?” Sokka stared at her in surprise.

“Some of the workers at my dad’s factory are Equalists.” Asami said angrily. “They worship Amon and support his cause wholeheartedly. They want him to take over the city because they believe it’ll be better for everyone…. except benders”

“How are they ‘violent extremists’?”

“Well, if you heard what some of the workers said about benders, you’d believe the same.” Asami shuddered. “They operate like some sort of street gang. I bet they’re deep underground, plotting their next move.”

“They sound dangerous.” Sokka bit his lip. “But are they really ‘underground’?” If so, they might’ve taken Suki.

“Because of the tunnels underneath Republic City, all gangs have some sort of underground presence.” Asami huffed. “So, I assume that the Equalists do as well.”

“Huh,” Sokka chuckled. “I suppose criminal earthbenders like it the best. They must feel very grounded.”

Asami snickered. “You really like your puns, huh?” She cocked her head. “Hey, I wanna show you something.” She took a side street, ending up in front of a bright red building with multiple floors. “This is my favourite restaurant, Kuang’s cuisine.”

“Looks fancy.” Sokka snarked. “And expensive.”

“It is.” Asami gazed at the ground, unconsciously wringing her hands. “I just wanted to show you…if you ever want to get a table. Just contact me and I can arrange it. I know the owner.”

Ah. Asami’s a lonely rich kid. She just wants a friend. Sokka observed quietly. I do need to look for Suki…but she did help me get my bearings and her dad could be a potential source of help. So- He grinned. “Sure, I don’t mind hanging out. I can try and bring my sister, but she might be busy with…waterbender stuff.”

“That’s, okay.” Asami gave him a relieved smile. “Any time you want to meet up, just reach out.”

“Erm…” Sokka went red with embarrassment. “How would I do that?”

“I can give you my phone number?” Asami said. “Well, the phone number of my dad’s secretary. You can leave a message with her. Dad told me to never give away our house number.”

“Makes sense.” Sokka murmured. There’s a phone at Air Temple Island. I can use it to contact her if I ever need to.

Asami took out a little notebook and pencil and scrawled a number on a page before ripping it out and handing it to him. Sokka accepted it with a grateful nod.

“Do you want me to drop you off?” Asami said. “I need to head back to my house on the other side of the river.” She squinted and then pointed at a tall building in the distance. “That’s my dad’s office building. The Yasuke Sato building.”

“Woah.” Sokka exhaled.” Who’s Yasuko…?”

Asami’s expression darkened. “She’s- was my mother.”

“Ah.” Sokka didn’t press. I know how she feels. “Do you think you can take me back across the river as well?  I need to return to Air Temple Island.”

“Air Temple Island?” Asami’s eyes went wide. “You’re staying there?”

“Erm…yes?”

“I’d love to visit.” Asami said, grinning in excitement. “I’ve never met an Airbender before. And I’d love to pay tribute to Avatar Aang. He did so much for this city.”

Oh, if you only knew the truth... Sokka shook his head. “It might be a bit difficult to arrange at the moment. The erm…Tenzin and his family are out of town.”

“I understand.” Asami nodded. She glanced at her watch and cursed. “Shit. I need to get back. We’d better hurry.” She returned to the docks and dropped him off close to the ferry. Sokka waved at her as she scooted away.  

Back at Air Temple Island, Kya was waiting for him outside the temple. “Sokka.” She grimaced, her voice full of disapproval. “Why did you sneak out? You could’ve gotten lost!”

“I didn’t.” Sokka bit his lip. “Well…err…I did.” He grinned. “But it’s all good! I made a new friend and got a free tour of the city!”

“What?” Kya frowned. “Who?”

“Asami Sato.” Sokka revealed, clapping his hands together excitedly. “She’s awesome.”

“Sato?”

“Yeah!” Sokka said. “She wants to meet up with me again.”

“While I am glad that you made a new friend, I still don’t approve of you sneaking out by yourself.” Kya said sternly. “Something bad could’ve happened- “

“Well, it didn’t.” Sokka cut across her with a glare. “I learned a bunch of useful stuff. About the city and the criminal gangs that operate in it.”

Kya gave him a concerned look. “Sokka- “

Sokka sighed and held up a hand. “I admit that I acted recklessly, but I had to do it. Suki is out there somewhere. I need to find her. The more time passes, the more she could be in danger.” He paused and then nodded. “I’ll try not to sneak out on my own again. I understand what you said about the city being overwhelming. It’s too big for one person to search on their own.”

“Any time you need help, just ask me.” Kya said in a measured tone, instead of arguing. “Do you want to go to the probending arena tonight?” It was a conciliatory offer.

“No.” Sokka declined. “I have work to do. I need to research the tunnels underneath the city.”

“Well, good luck.”

“Thanks.”

He returned to the library, determined not to spend too long with his head buried in a book. He didn’t want Katara to lecture him again.

Chapter Text

“…we won’t be back for a while,” Snippets of Kya’s conversation with the ferryman drifted out to her, but Toph ignored them.

Shifting her feet and gripping the railing, the earthbender sighed. She was as good as blind out here. On a boat. Made of wood.  

*Thud* *Thud* *Thud*

Someone was walking towards her. By process of elimination she knew it was-

“Hey,” Zuko said softly.” How are you holding up?”

“Aside from not being able to see anything…” Toph shrugged. “I’m fine.” She cocked her head. “How about you?”

“What?”

“How are you ‘holding up’?” Toph frowned. “You haven’t said anything in a while.”

“What?” Zuko muttered, sounding confused. “I literally just spoke to you.”

“Sparky-” Toph rolled her eyes. “You know what I mean. Everyone else has something going on. Sokka is looking for Suki. Aang is helping Korra. Katara is…well, being Katara.” She huffed. “I have Suyin and Lin. But what do you have?”

“I’m helping Sokka.”

“Aside from that.”

“Erm, I dunno.” Zuko paused. “I guess I need to figure out my future- figure out how to be Fire Lord.”

“Well, if you’re ever starving for something to do, you can always hang out with me,” Toph grinned at him. “There’s a whole city to explore after all!” She gestured vaguely in front of them, hoping that she wasn’t looking like an idiot.

“Y-yeah.” Zuko coughed. “What do you think Suyin is like?”

Changing the topic. Typical. Toph snarked to herself. “I think she’s way nicer and way more successful than her sister is.” She laughed. “She probably has a family as well. Unlike loser loner Lin.”

“Lin really pissed you off, huh?”

“Oh yeah.” Toph nodded. “But thanks to Madame Fussybritches, I have to try and be nice to her.”

It was Zuko’s turn to laugh. “I wish I had your penchant for names. The best I can come up with- for Katara, is…” He paused for a long moment. “…Ice Maiden.”

Toph smiled at him. “Nice one.”

“Thanks,” Zuko said. “But going back to Lin-“

“Land ho!” The ferryman suddenly announced. Toph could hear the grin in his words.

They came to a stop.

Finally. Toph thought giddily. She leapt off the boat and ran down the gangplank. There was a mesmerising array of sounds ahead of her. Hordes of stomping feet. Yells and shouts of joy. A booming tune.

“Toph!” Kya called out.

Toph ignored her. As soon as she stepped off the wood, her feet meeting the stone of the road, she became aware of a great many things.

There were thousands of people around her. Jostling one another, stepping on each other’s toes, and-

Toph took a deep breath and steeled herself. A similar thing had happened in Ba Sing Se. When she had first stepped into the booming crowds of the Earth Nation Capital, she had almost been overwhelmed. But this time, she was ready.

After a few seconds, she got used to the onslaught of people and relaxed, which gave Zuko and Kya enough time to catch up to her.

“Toph, please don’t rush off again,” Kya said breathlessly. “I don’t want you to get lost.”

Toph snorted. “Don’t worry. I won’t get lost. You don’t need to tell me what to do.”

Kya sighed, crossing her arms and shaking her head.  

Woah. She’s really upset. Toph smirked. I’m not a child. I can look after myself.

Zuko cleared his throat. “May I suggest we get to our seats before the crowd carries us away?”

Kya nodded. “Yes. I need to collect our tickets. Let’s go the arena.”

The crowds became thicker and thicker as they neared their destination. The booming tune increased in tempo as well, making Toph even more excited. It reminded her of her wrestling days.  

Kya left them close to the entrance and went to get their tickets, queuing up behind several other people.

Toph put her hands on her hips and started tapping both her feet against the ground. She hoped this wouldn’t take too long.

Finally, after several minutes, Kya returned with three small pieces of paper. “Keep ahold of these.” She held out two of them out.

Toph snatched one, while Zuko gently took the other, muttering a thanks, and then nudged her. “Thanks, Kya.” She said sincerely. “I erm…I’m just very excited.”

“It’s okay. I get it.” Kya laughed. “C’mon, it’s time to take our seats.”

Their seats were right in the back of the auditorium, near the top. Toph didn’t care, patting Zuko’s shoulder when he sighed in dismay at how terrible they were.

Toph planted her feet on the ground. The seats were almost full. Soon the match would start.

“Greetings everyone!” A voice rang out. “Shiro Shinobi here! Welcoming you to this friendly match between the Pinnacle Palace Platypus Bears and the Red Sands Rabaroos!”

There was a deafening roar as everyone around them screamed. Toph raised her eyebrows. “Hey, that’s the guy from the radio!”

“Yeah, he’s the announcer,” Kya explained. “He’ll narrate the match to make sure everyone’s playing fairly. He’ll point out penalties, good shots, misses- things like that.”

There was a loud whirring noise. Two platforms were moving through water.

“And the teams have appeared!” Shinobi exclaimed. “For the first bout, the Platypus Bears will fight on the left side of the arena, while the Rabaroos will take them on from the right!” 

The audience roared again. Toph frowned. They were being very loud. Hopefully, it doesn’t get any worse.

It got worse.

“And the Rabaroo firebender has a clear shot-“

“The Platypus Bears have forced them back to the end-“

“It’s all over for- “

The crowd was so loud that she barely heard anything Shinobi said. And because the fight was in the centre of the stadium, far away from her, she couldn’t sense any of the player's movements.

Annoyed and disappointed, Toph waited for a moment when the whole stadium rose to cheer- including Zuko and Kya, who had long since been absorbed by the excitement of the game and forgotten about her- and got up, hurrying down the row of seats towards the nearest exit.

Okay, that was a wash. Toph sighed. I should’ve known that this would happen. I feel so dumb. Her cheeks heating up, she ran down a nearby flight of stairs, looking for a distraction. She didn’t care where she was going.  

I’m such an idiot. She thought bitterly, as she descended more and more into the belly of the arena. I mess everything up. Push everyone away. Her breath quickened. I never forgave my parents. They must be so worried. I- I can’t afford to mess things up with Suyin. And Katara was right. I need to make up with Lin and-

“WOAH!”

Toph froze. She was deep underground now, close to the waterfront.

Two people- teenage boys, judging from their height and weight- were sparring in the next room over. One of them had just struck out at the other, who had barely dodged out of the way.

“Watch where you throw your fire!” Said the evasive boy.

“You weren’t paying attention!” The firebender snapped. “I clearly telegraphed my attack!”

Toph couldn’t help but smirk. She wandered over and leaned against the doorway. This was just the distraction she needed.

“You didn’t!” The evasive boy complained, pointing accusingly at his companion.

“I nodded at you and looked left!”

“I was focusing on your hands, not your face!”

“You need to watch both of them to know where your opponent’s gonna strike!”

“Where’s Bolin?” The evasive boy said, his voice agitated. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed his absence! He’s been so busy with his new ‘pet’ that he's been skipping training!”

“Don’t bring my brother into this!” The firebender spat. “This is about your shortcomings, not- “

There was a splashing sound. The first boy- who must be a waterbender, Toph reckoned- bent a bucketful of water at the firebender.

*Hiss*

It evaporated as the firebender threw up a wall of fire. “Real mature, Hasook.” He deadpanned.

“Oh, fuck you, Mako!” Hasook turned away, intending to storm out of the room. Toph chose this moment to step out and smirk at him. “By the way, you’re a terrible fighter.”

Hasook froze in place. “Wha- “He balled his hands into fists. “Who the fuck are you?”  Behind him, she heard Mako swallow and take a step back.  

“The greatest earthbender in the world.” She boasted, putting her hands on her hips. Her smirk became mocking. “I could beat the crap out of you without breaking a sweat.”

Hasook stomped his feet and punched his hands together. “Oh, yeah, pipsqueak? I could take you down any day.”

“Hasook, she’s just a kid,” Mako warned. “Don’t take your anger out on her.”

“I’m not ‘just a kid’.” Toph taunted him. “I could take on both of you.” She paused for effect. “Easily.”

“Wanna prove that?” Hasook said venomously.  

“I’m not attacking a kid,” Mako sighed, pinching his brow. “This whole situation is ridiculous.”

Toph laughed. “Hasook is the ridiculous one.”

Hasook grunted in annoyance, stepping back and raising his right hand. Toph felt the water move. As did Mako, who reached out towards his companion with a cry of “Stop!”.

Toph moved her right foot an inch, shifting the ground just enough to trip the waterbender up. His shot went wide, hitting the wall behind her.

“That was me being gentle.” Toph quipped, kneeling and offering him a hand.

Hasook didn’t take it. He got to his feet, glanced at Mako, huffed, shook his head, and lumbered out of the room.

“Hasook!” Mako called out. His teammate didn’t come back. Or even look back.  

“He must be soooo embarrassed.” Toph grinned. “He was defeated by a blind twelve-year-old.”

Mako frowned at her. “Who are you?”

“You can call me Poppy.” Toph introduced herself, giving the firebender a genuine smile. Unlike his friend, he wasn’t an asshole.

“Erm…” Mako squinted at her.

“Yes, I’m blind.” She confirmed, waggling a hand in front of her eyes. “Wanna spar? I’ll go fair on you, unlike your loser friend.”

“What?” Mako recoiled. “N-no!”

“Boring,” Toph shrugged. “I guess I’ll look for entertainment somewhere else.”

“You shouldn’t even be here,” Mako muttered.  

“I go where I like.” Toph turned on her heel. “See ya around!”

There was a sudden rush of scampering feet. Heavy footfalls. Another teenager. Another boy. Closely followed by the sounds of wings flapping and a familiar chitter.

Toph froze. It can’t be-

“Mako! Mako!” A shrill voice called out. The other boy ran into the room, breathing heavily. A small animal was curled around his shoulders. “I just saw Hasook. What did you do? He’s really mad.” He noticed her presence and tensed. “Who is this?” Toph didn’t answer. The flapping increased in intensity, and there was a sharp intake of breath.

“Momo?” She said, almost whispering. “Is that you?”

There was a happy shriek. She opened her arms. Momo flew into them and hugged her close. He was whimpering.

Toph cradled him tenderly, patting his back. “Shh, shh. Everything’s alright, Momo. Everyone’s safe.”

“You know Momo?” The new boy said, a note of suspicion in his voice.

“He belongs to a friend,” Toph explained. “An airbender.”

“Ohhhh.” The new boy relaxed. “That makes sense.”

“Bolin, This girl- Poppy, just completely trounced Hasook,” Mako said, sounding stunned. “That’s why he was so mad. She’s blind. And twelve-years-old.”

“Ah, you’re an earthbender.” Bolin grinned. “And woah! You’re just like Toph!”

“I get that a lot,” Toph said easily. “It’s very annoying.”

“R-right. If you’re so talented, c-can you show me some moves?” Bolin was hyperventilating in excitement.

“Sure.” Toph shrugged. Momo settled on her right shoulder, slinging his tail around her neck. “I don’t have anything better to do.”

“I’m not so sure about this.” Mako ventured, scratching the back of his head. “She’s- Poppy’s not meant to be here. If Toza comes in, we’ll be in a lot of trouble.”

“C’mon, Mako,” Bolin whined. “I have a good feeling about her. If Toza tries to kick her out, we can just say she’s trying out for the team or something.”

“But you’re our earthbender.” Mako pointed out. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Then we can just tell Toza I’m here to coach Bolin. Because he’s been skipping practice and needs to catch up.” Toph suggested. Momo nodded eagerly. “See!” She smiled. “Even Momo agrees!”

“Yeah, Mako,” Bolin said, winking at his brother. “Momo is a very wise Flying Lemur.”

Mako huffed. “Well, if it’s three against one- “

Bolin’s pet yowled.

“-four against one. Sorry Pabu.” He corrected himself. “I guess you guys can do whatever you want. I have no chance of winning this argument.”

Bolin whooped.

Toph cracked her knuckles. “By the way, you guys are Pro-benders, right?”

“We are!” Bolin nodded. “We’re the-“

“Great!” Toph said. She cocked her head at him. “What do you wanna see?”

“How fast can you bend? What are your favourite moves? Can you bend metal?” Bolin barraged her with questions. His brother glared at him. Bolin yelped and stopped talking. Mako turned to her. “Why don’t you just tell us about your bending and show us some basic moves?”

Toph nodded. “I rely on sound to bend. The smallest movement an opponent makes- I can sense it and react accordingly.” She chuckled. “I’ve lost very few fights.”

“So, even if I- do this?” Bolin questioned, moving- or rather, trying- to move his left foot as quickly and quietly as possible.

Toph tapped the floor. The ground shifted, moving his foot back to its original position.  

 “Woah!” Bolin exclaimed. “That was awesome!”

In contrast, Mako was speechless, staring at her with wide eyes.

“With minimal effort, I can obliterate anyone who attacks me.” Toph grinned at the praise. This was way more fun than watching pro-bending. “Bolin…” She pointed at a pile of stone disks a few meters away. “…try and hit me.”

“W-what?” Bolin squeaked.

“Don’t worry,” She huffed, walking to the other end of the mat. “It’s all part of the demonstration. Nothing’s going to happen.”

“Oh, okay,” Bolin said, still sounding uncertain. He pulled one of the disks towards him and took aim at her. “Here I go!” He announced, throwing it as slowly as possible.

Toph immediately countered, deflecting it as soon as it had left his hand. “Is that the best you can do?” She taunted. “I’ve met grandmas that can bend faster than you!”

“It’s not!” Bolin said breathlessly, bouncing on his feet and taking a fighting stance. “Lemme show you what I can do!” He didn’t sound angry. No. Toph grinned in approval. He’s excited. He’s eager to learn. That immediately makes him a better bender than Hasook. Sensing that things were becoming serious, Momo took off and landed on a nearby net. Pabu did the same, scampering up next to him and curling his tail around his shoulders. 

Bolin aimed at her again, this time with far more confidence and precision. He flicked his wrist, shooting the disk sideways, intending to hit her from behind. In the background, Mako watched them with an amused grin. He was enjoying seeing his brother being humbled.

Toph shunted it aside without much effort. “Better.” She conceded. “But your best is still crap. Several pointers: you need to work on your reflexes. You’re slow as a snail sloth. And you need to learn to study your opponent and figure out their weak points.” She laughed. “Unfortunately, you’re fighting the greatest earthbender in the world. Someone who doesn’t have any weaknesses. So, just do your best to hit me.”

Bolin nodded. He shot disk after disk at her. Getting faster and faster each time. Toph deflected them all. At some point, she started throwing them back.

Bolin didn’t complain. He just adapted. Either dodging or deflecting them himself. Despite this, Toph got in a fair few shots. But she made sure not to hit him too hard. This was a training match, not a proper bout. And she had to admit it, she liked Bolin. His dogged determination and raw skill impressed her. With some proper training, and as long as he remained focused and didn’t get distracted, he could become a great bender. Not as great as her, of course. But close.

They continued sparring, until Bolin, now covered in sweat and breathing deeply, held up his hand and requested they stop. So, Toph stopped.

Standing back, she gave him a bright smile. “Well done! You really showed me your stuff!”

“I-I did?” Bolin wheezed, grinning at her.

“Yeah,” Toph said. “If you dedicate yourself to your training, you have the potential to become a master earthbender.”

“I-I do?”

“You do.” She confirmed. “But it means no more skipping lessons, or messing around, or adopting random animals.” She nodded at Momo, who chirruped and flew back to her shoulder. “Even if it’s an incredibly cute flying lemur.”

Bolin pouted. “Aww.”

“All you have to do is find a good enough teacher.” She said, thumbing at herself. “Like I did!”

At this, Bolin became sadder, crossing his arms and shaking his head. Pabu chittered and dashed towards him, climbing up to his shoulder and covering his face with kisses.

“What’s wrong?”

“Erm, Poppy, we’re not that well off,” Mako confessed, rejoining them. “We barely have enough to get by. I work double shifts at the power plant, and Bolin teaches Pabu tricks and tries to earn money by having him perform in public- not that I approve.” He shook his head. “We rent a very cheap apartment here. If it weren’t for Toza, we wouldn’t even have that.”

“We can’t afford a decent earthbending teacher,” Bolin said sombrely. “Toza teaches me when he can, but that’s once in a blue moon. I had to learn from watching other earthbenders bend- in pro-bending matches and on the streets.”

“Why didn’t you say so?” Toph laughed. “I can teach you.”

“You would?” Bolin blinked. “Someone like me?”

“Yeah,” Toph said. “I don’t have anything better to do at the moment.”

“But we can’t pay you!”

“That’s fine.” Toph shrugged. “In lieu of payment, how about you show me around Republic City instead?”

“I can do that!” Bolin cheered. “I know this city like the back of my hand!”

“Great!” She grinned. “You can also show me some pro-bending moves! I tried watching the game today, but…” She pointed at her milky eyes. “And the crowd drowned out Shiro Shinobi. So I couldn’t even hear anything.”

“That sucks.” Bolin gave her a sad look, then abruptly perked up. “But don’t worry- I can show you around the stadium if you’d like! Give you an awesome tour!”

“I’d like that.” 

Mako inclined his head. “Uhh, Bolin already asked you this, but…can you bend metal?”

Toph smirked. “Yep.”

“Oh, oh,” Bolin said excitedly. “Please show us! Please!”

“Sure. Is there any metal nearby?”

“There are some weights on the table over there.” Mako pointed at the other side of the room. “I can bring you one- “

“No need.” She reached out in the same direction. The pile of weights responded to her bending. She lifted all of them into the air and started juggling them.

“I’ve never seen bending like this before,” Bolin murmured, staring at her in awe. “Can you teach me metalbending too?”

“Sure.”

“Do you have time to show us more?”

Toph lowered the weights and shook her head. “I hafta go meet a friend.” I bet Zuko and Kya are looking for me by now.

“Aww. Do you have to?”

“Yeah- “

“Hello?”  A familiar voice called out.

Zuko! You shouldn’t be here. Toph whirled around. She’d been so absorbed in showing off that she hadn’t noticed his approach. “We’re in here!” She yelled, careful not to use any names.  “I was just giving someone an impromptu earthbending lesson!”

“Oh- hey!” Zuko entered the room slowly. He hadn’t expected her to have company. “You, err, left and I got worried.” He paused. “Is that Momo?”

“It is,” Toph said, stroking the lemur. “Wanna come say hello?”

“Uhh, sure.” Zuko wandered over, mindful of the two bending brothers. “Hello, Momo.” He said, smiling at the lemur. Momo stood up and nuzzled him.

Mako’s breath suddenly hitched. He muttered something to himself. To Toph’s ears, it sounded like “no freaking way.”

“Bro?” Bolin looked at his brother, brow furrowed in concern.

“Nothing, bro,” Mako replied, shaking his head. “I just wanted to ask…what’s your name?” He directed the question at Zuko.

“Uhh, it’s…Zakko.” Zuko blurted out.

“Zakko?” Mako frowned in disbelief.

 “My parents hated me,” Zuko said bluntly.

“Woah.” Bolin winced. “Your poor guy.”

“Yeah…” Mako trailed off. “Anyway, you should get going. The gym owner- Toza could be here any moment. And Bolin and I need to get home.”

“Uhh, Mako, we don’t live that far away- “

“Who’s our next opponent?”

“Erm- the Red Sand Rabaroos?”

“Wrong.” Mako sighed. “Bro, you’re so far behind. It’s not funny. Pro-bending is our livelihood. If we don’t perform well, we’ll get kicked out.”

“I- “

“You’ve been neglecting all your training, not just your bending.” Mako continued, becoming stern. “So, I’m gonna take you home and give you a massive lecture about all our upcoming fights.”

“Mako.” Bolin pleaded. “Please- “

Mako turned to them. “Please, excuse us.” He grabbed his brother by the elbow and started dragging him out of the room.

“One sec.” Toph requested.

They both stopped. Mako raised an eyebrow. Bolin gave her a desperate look.

“If you guys ever wanna hang out.” She grinned. “I’m staying at Air Temple Island. Come over anytime.”

“Cool!” Bolin said. “Maybe we can go right now!”

“Thanks for the offer.” Mako nodded at her. “But we'll take you up on it later.” He resumed hauling his brother away.

Once they were out of the room, Zuko turned to her. “C’mon, let’s go. Kya is waiting for us.”

Toph nodded. On the way upstairs, she frowned, poking him in the back. “How did you find me?”

“I followed the sound of earthbending.” Zuko laughed. “You were being quite loud.”

“Oh.”                                                                                                                                             

“Toph…are you okay?” He asked, a note of concern in his voice.” I’m sorry- I didn’t mean to forget about you at the match.”

“I am,” Toph said quickly. “And there’s no need to apologise. I’m glad you had fun.” She smiled bitterly. “It turns out that being blind means I can’t enjoy pro-bending.”

“Oh, Toph,” Zuko said. “You were so excited-”

Top punched him in the arm. Zuko yelped. “What was that for?”

“For being weird.”

“What?”

“It’s fine.” She huffed. “Messing around with Mako and Bolin was way more fun than pro-bending.”

“And you found Momo.”

“Just by chance.” She cocked her head. “Y’know, I wouldn’t mind seeing them again.”

“Huh?”

Toph shrugged. “They remind me of another pair of siblings who bicker all the time, but beneath it all, really care about each other.”

“Sokka and Katara?” 

“Who else?” Toph gave him an unamused look. “Seriously Sparky.”

“Oh, right,” He said sheepishly. “It is pretty obvious.”

“Yeah.” Toph hummed. “I also offered to train Bolin.”

“You did?”

“And I think Mako figured out who we are.”

“What!?”

Toph put a finger to her lips.

Zuko quieted down. “Why do you think that?”

“Mako was freaking out when you entered the room.”

“What should we do?”

“Well, when we see them again...” Toph grinned. “We can mess with ‘em.”

“Maybe we can convince them we aren’t who they think we are?”

“I dunno,” Toph said, shifting her feet. There weren’t many steps left, meaning they were almost at the top. She could hear people chatting and giggling, enjoying the post-match euphoria. “Let’s forget it for now and go find Kya.”

Wandering through the crowds, they made their way to the front entrance of the arena. Toph sensed Kya approach them, her steps hurried as she shoved people aside. “There you are.” She said. “I was worried you’d gotten lost.”

“We’re fine,” Zuko told her.

Kya bit her lip. “Toph, are you- “

“Don’t be weird like Zuko was,” Toph muttered. “I’m fine. Now, it’s high time I met my ‘mother’.”

“S-sure.” Kya paused, noticing the lemur around her shoulders. “Is that- “

“Yes, it’s Momo.”

“I never met him.” Kya smiled. She reached out and patted him on the head. “Heya Momo. You must’ve had a really hard time, huh?”

Momo huffed and shrugged as if to say, “Tell me about it.”

“You can tell me how you found him later,” Kya said, sounding curious. “Lin and Suyin are only a short walk away.”

They left the arena, walking along the waterfront until they reached a secluded area. Two women were waiting for them. Toph recognised Lin immediately. She was dressed in her metalbender armour. Her arms were crossed, and she was tapping her foot against the ground. In contrast, the other woman wore artsy robes with multiple necklaces. She was hugging herself, body tight as a spring.

“Lin.” Toph nodded at the police chief.

“Toph,” Lin muttered. “This is my sister, Suyin.”

“Hello, Toph,” Suyin said nervously.

“Hey, Suyin.” Toph introduced herself with a warm smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Suyin relaxed. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

“Right, you two have a lot to talk about,” Lin huffed. “So get it over with.”

“Hey!” Toph snapped. “Don’t rush us.” She took a deep breath. “Sorry to be rude.” I have to be polite to her. I have to be polite to her.

 “Are you ill?” Lin said, sounding irritated.

“I’m not,” Toph grumbled. “I’m perfectly fine.” You’re the one who’s messed up.

“Please, stop arguing.” Suyin stepped between them. “Lin, why don’t you go speak with Kya and Zuko while I have a chat with Toph?”

“Sure.” Lin shrugged and walked away. Kya greeted her enthusiastically, while Zuko just waved at her. The two older women immediately started talking, reminiscing about old times. Zuko huffed and leaned on the railing, staring out to sea and patting Momo with his other hand.

Suyin cleared her throat. “Toph, I’m sure you must have many questions- “

“I do!” Toph threw her hands up into the air. “Like, why didn’t Lin mention you earlier?”

Suyin laughed nervously. “Well, we’re- “

“-not on the best of terms.” Toph filled in then frowned. “I bet it’s Lin’s fault.”

“Not completely,” Suyin said quietly. “It’s my fault too.” She sighed “But now’s not the time to discuss that. We have more important things to talk about, like-”

“The spirits disappearing?” Toph muttered. “And your mom and old man Zuko showing up out of the blue?”

Suyin swallowed. “Actually, I wanted to ask…Toph, are you okay?” Her voice was thick with concern, almost sickeningly so, Toph thought. “I’ve been worried about you.”

Toph stared at her for a moment, then laughed shrilly. “Really?” She sounds just like my mother. “Suyin, do you have any kids?”

“I have five.”

Toph whistled in mock awe. “That’s a lot.” She grinned. “And I’m meant to be your sixth.”

“Well, yes, that’s the plan.” Suyin smiled gently. Toph bet that her eyes were full of warmth. “Are you okay with that being your cover story?”

“It makes more sense than me being Lin’s kid.” Toph joked. “But to be brutally honest, I don’t really care. It’s not like I’m going to be stuck here for years or anything.”

“Yes, but you’re not going home tomorrow,” Suyin said matter-of-factly. 

Toph sighed, defeated. “I’m okay with pretending to be your daughter.”

“Toph…when I was much younger- only a few years older than you, my mother sent me to live with my grandparents,” Suyin murmured, glancing into the bay. “My mother trusted them to set me straight. They were quite close.”

Toph gave her a questioning look. “Why did they need to ‘set you straight’?”

“It’s a long story.” Suyin chuckled. “And I can’t tell it on my own. I need Lin’s help.”

“Okay.” Toph hesitated. “My parents- your grandparents and your mother, they forgave each other?”

“Decades ago,” Suyin said. “I remember them quite fondly. If it wasn’t for them…” She shuddered. “I wouldn’t be the person that I am today.”

“So, your mother’s dad- your grandfather, he didn’t mind that she ran away from home?”

“Oh, he minded,” Suyin admitted. “He minded a lot. But it didn’t take him long to accept that she could look after herself. And he…he blamed himself for a long time, for driving her away.” She sucked in a breath. “Can we please move on? This is becoming hard for me to talk about.”

“Sure,” Toph said quickly. “Thanks for telling me. Even if it was, umm, hard for you.” She scratched the back of her head. “Do you want to ask me anything else?”

“Yes,” Suyin said, smiling again. “Do you want to come back to Zaofu with me?”

“Zaofu?” Toph frowned.” What’s that?”

“It’s where I live,” Suyin explained. “It’s a city of metalbenders.”

Toph felt her jaw drop. “Everyone’s a metalbender?”

“Almost everyone.” Suyin clarified. “Nonbenders live there too. For instance, my husband isn’t a bender, but he’s an amazing architect. He designed it- the layout, the buildings, everything.”

Toph mulled things over, biting her cheek. Then she smiled and nodded. “I’d love to visit. But not quite yet. I want to meet Korra. And my friends need my help here, at least for the next couple of weeks.”

“Understandable,” Suyin said. “Whenever you want to visit, just drop me a line.”

“Thank you again, Suyin,” Toph said, feeling relieved. “When I visit, I’ll see if I can drag any of my friends with me.” She snickered. “It’ll be a pleasure to finally meet my siblings.”

“My daughter Opal is very eager to meet you. She almost snuck onto the train with me.” Suyin chuckled. “I had to make her promise to stay behind.”

“Sounds like my kinda girl.” Toph grinned. “Oh, by the way, I picked my alias.”

“Huh?”

“The name for my new identity,” Toph said. “It’s Poppy.”

“That’s…” Suyin stilled. “A good name.” Her voice was shaky.

“It is.”

“Are you two done yet?” Lin butted in.

“Yep,” Toph smirked at her. “We’ve decided that we’re gonna kidnap you and take you back to Zaofu, to force you to reconnect with your family.”

Lin scowled at her. “Very funny.”

“Hey, I was joking.” Toph glanced between the two sisters. “Whatever feud you guys have, I don’t wanna interfere with it. Sort it out between yourselves.”

“We don’t have a feud,” Lin muttered. “We just try to avoid one another. Try to avoid talking to each other at all.”

“I want to talk,” Suyin said quietly. “But you don’t.”

Lin glared sharply at her sister. Toph couldn’t help but wince. “What happened? Why don’t the two of you get along?”

“It’s Suyin’s fault,” Lin said. “She messed everything up.”

Suyin facepalmed, emitting a long-drawn-out sigh. “Lin, I was just a kid- “

“You were old enough to be responsible,” Lin spat. The anger in her voice wavered, almost becoming regretful, before she shook her head and steadied herself. “I don’t want to bicker about the past, Suyin. Your business here is concluded. So, please go.”

“Hey, don’t be so mean to her,” Toph argued. “She doesn’t deserve- “

“You don’t know what she ‘deserves’.” Lin snapped. She paused, realising what she had just done, and took a shuddering breath. “I’m sorry for lashing out at you. This whole thing…it’s been stressing me out.”

“It’s okay,” Toph said quickly. “I accept your apology.” She knew Kya was standing behind Lin, arms crossed, gaze focused on the older earthbender. They must’ve chatted quite a bit... I wonder what about? She shook her head and turned to Suyin, who had tensed up again.  “Hey, why don’t you return in a week or so? I’m sure by then we’ll have found Suki and then I can visit Zaofu with you.”

Suyin smiled, relaxing slightly. “It’d be my pleasure.”

“Suyin…” Lin trailed off. “I’m not being mean, but you do have to return home. You’ve been gone for several days. I bet your family misses you.”

“Lin…” Suyin nodded. “You’re right.”

There was a moment of awkward silence, and then Lin coughed and motioned towards Toph. “Say your goodbyes. It’ll be a while before you two see each other again.”

“Toph, it was a pleasure to meet you.” Suyin offered her a hand. “If I see my mother, I’ll be sure to tell her about you.”

Toph grinned and vigorously shook it. “Tell her I want to meet her.”

“Will do.”

“And tell Opal I said hi.”

“Will do.”

They exchanged a laugh. Suyin stepped back, glancing at her sister, then sighed and walked away. Lin hesitated for a moment, then followed her.

“It’s getting late,” Kya said. “We should get back. Kyando is waiting for us.”

“One second,” Toph shook her head. “Lemme wait.”

“Erm, okay.”

Toph remained in place until Lin and Suyin’s footsteps had completely receded. She turned on her heel and nodded at the waterbender. “Let’s go.”

The way out wasn’t nearly as crowded as the way in. Most people had headed home.

Toph suddenly had an idea. She ran up to Zuko and slung an arm around his shoulders, careful not to dislodge Momo. “Hey, Sparky.”

He recoiled. “What is it?”

“Wanna visit a city full of metalbenders with me?”

Chapter Text

“Remember, Korra, you can’t fight back,” Tenzin commanded, focusing his grey-blue eyes on her. “You have to stay on your feet and dodge all the projectiles. Airbending is all about movement. When you come across an obstacle, you need to change direction, not meet it head-on.” An earthbender stood next to him, holding a bunch of worn stone disks.

“Uh-huh,” Korra said gruffly, crossing her arms and glaring at him. “Whatever you say.” I don’t understand all this “dodging and changing” crap. Why can’t I just blast my way through it with air? Wind can be violent. Over the years I’ve lived here, several severe storms have hit the compound. Sometimes, they’d even knock the outer wall over. She briefly daydreamed, imagining the whole wall collapsing, and then leaping up on Naga and running away to freedom.

“Korra?” Tenzin’s irritated voice brought her back to reality.

“I’m ready Tenzin.” She snapped.

Tenzin sighed at her rudeness, then nodded at the earthbender.

Korra braced herself, tensing her whole body in anticipation.

The earthbender leaned back, cracking his neck, then shot forward, sending a barrage of disks towards her.

She dodged the first couple of projectiles, and then her instincts started to fight her, demanding her to take action. Don’t fight back. She repeated to herself. Don’t fight back. Don’t fight back. She shut her eyes, focusing on the mantra, trying to absorb it-

“Oof!” A disc slammed into her, almost sending her sprawling to the ground. Korra glared at the earthbender, who just smirked and threw more projectiles at her.

Two can play at that game. She thought, seeing red. Spinning around, she caught three disks, sending them spiralling back towards her opponent with the same movement.

All of them hit their mark, knocking the earthbender off his feet. Afterwards, he lay still, clutching his stomach and groaning in pain.

“Korra! That was uncalled for!” Tenzin admonished her, kneeling to help him.

“What?” Korra huffed, throwing up her arms. “I didn’t do anything wrong!”

Tenzin sent the earthbender to the medical wing, then gave her a stern look. “You’re meant to dodge, not attack- “

“I was defending myself- “

“You got distracted!” Tenzin shouted. He grunted and pinched his brow. “This would be so much easier if I had the training equipment from Air Temple Island- “

“Then take me to Republic City and train me there.” Korra scoffed.

“You know I can’t do that,” Tenzin muttered, biting his lip and looking away.  

“Fine. Then I’m going to go see my other teacher,” Korra grinned at him maliciously. “He’s way better than you!”  

“Korra… “Tenzin’s voice was soft, almost pleading.

Korra threw her helmet on the ground and stomped away.  It didn’t take her long to find Aang. All she had to do was follow the sound of ringing laughter to the front of the compound.

He was showing Tenzin’s kids how to create miniature snowmen with airbending.

She watched jealously as he shaped the snow with gentle currents of air, creating teeny-tiny figures of the three of them.

“Woah!” Jinora grinned in excitement.

“Show us more!” Ikki demanded, jumping up and down.

Meelo stared at the smaller version of himself, too amazed to speak.

“It’s time for you guys to have a go,” Aang smiled at them. “Don’t push yourselves. It took me years of practice to achieve this level of detail. Just do your best and create whatever you want.”

The kids nodded and then leapt forward, bending ferociously.

Jinora did her best to follow Aang’s instructions, managing to create a small albeit wonky snowman. Ikki just made a normal-sized snowman. While Meelo carefully pushed all his snow together into a giant pile. “How did I do?” He yelled, giving his “older brother” an adoring look.

“All you created was a mess.” Ikki snarked.

Meelo glared at her, preparing to knock her over her snowman in retaliation. Thankfully, Aang stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder. “You have great form, Meelo!” He praised him. “You have the technique down!”

“R-really?” Meelo’s eyes went wide.

“Yes,” Aang said. “Now, the next step is to use your imagination.”

“But what do I make?” Meelo frowned, getting upset.

“If you could create a sculpture of anything- absolutely anything in the world, what would it be?”

Meelo scrunched up his face, thinking seriously, then grinned toothily at him. “You!”

“Me?” Aang blinked.

“You!”

“O-okay.” Aang swallowed, then pointed at the pile of snow. “Now, it doesn’t have to be true to life, but can you picture turning that into a sculpture of me?”

“Yeah!”

“Then get to it!”

“Yessir!” Meelo saluted him. He rushed off and started bending the snow again.  

“Aang, why do you bother with him?” Ikki huffed.

Jinora elbowed her. “Because Aang is a nice guy. And it’s good for Meelo to learn something. He’s an incredibly reckless airbender.”

“That, and I like teaching people.” Aang smiled. “Remember, you’re both several years older than Meelo. He’s not as knowledgeable as the two of you.”

“Good point.” Ikki conceded.

“Hey, Aang!” Meelo called out. “I’m finished.”

All three of them looked at his sculpture.

Meelo grinned proudly, putting his hands on his hips. “What do ya guys think?” He said, waggling his eyebrows.  

Korra leaned in to get a better look.

Meelo’s sculpture was a mess. But it was a human-shaped mess. And the head was…well, shaped like an upside-down bowl. He had also drawn a wonky arrow at the top of it.

Korra couldn’t help but smile. Even she could see that, in his own way, Meelo had tried really hard to capture Aang’s most defining feature.

“Well done, Meelo!” Aang said brightly.

“T-thanks.” Meelo stuttered, turning red.   

“Well, mine’s still better.” Ikki shrugged.

“No, mine’s better. Because it’s Aang.” Meelo smirked at her.

Ikki glared at him. “Hey!”

Sensing this was a good moment to intervene, Korra stepped forward and coughed. All four airbenders turned to her. “Hey, you guys,” She said, grinning nervously. “I need to have a chat with Aang.” The kids frowned at her, noticing how uncomfortable she was, while Aang gave her a worried look.

Jinora suddenly blinked in understanding. She hit her siblings with a blast of air and then took off on an air scooter. “Race you guys around the compound!” Ikki and Meelo both yelled and rushed after her, leaving the two of them alone.

“Korra, what’s wrong?” Aang asked her gently.

Korra grimaced. “Tenzin is a terrible teacher.”

“I’m sure he’s just doing his best- “

“He isn’t.” She muttered. “He sucks at everything.”

“Tenzin did a good job teaching his three kids,” Aang pointed out. “They’re all skilled airbenders.”

“They’re his kids. They love him so they’re willing to put up with his bullshit,” Korra argued, gritting her teeth. “Aang, I need you to teach me. Not just airbending, but spiritual stuff as well.”

“But- “

“Aang, something has happened to the Spirit World,” Korra said harshly. “We don’t know how much time we have. We could be running against the clock here.”

“Korra-” Aang sighed. “I’ll give you some pointers, but I’m not going to become your airbending teacher. That’s Tenzin’s job. Not mine. As for ‘spiritual stuff’…” His expression softened. “…I can teach you that. But first, you have to learn airbending.”

Korra furrowed her brow. She was immensely confused. “Why?”

“Understanding airbending is key to understanding the spirits,” Aang explained. “It’s a bit complicated to explain. But it’s kinda like- “He paused for a moment, mulling over what to say, before continuing. “-learning how to crawl before you can walk.”

“I think I get it,” Korra said, nodding slowly. “All right, can you please give me ‘some pointers’?

“Sure. What was Tenzin trying to teach you?”

Korra explained what had happened at her training session. “I don’t understand anything. Why can’t I fight? Why do I have to dodge everything? Why can’t it be easy to learn like every other element?” She ranted, crossing her arms and scowling.

Aang grimaced and scratched the back of his head. “Korra, Tenzin was trying to get you to think like an Airbender. And we- Airbenders, I mean- try not to attack first, if that makes sense.”

“But during your adventures, you attacked the Fire Nation several times! Like on the day of the Black Sun!” Korra said, biting her lip. Why did it feel like she was grasping at straws, trying to argue her way out of training? She did want to learn airbending…didn’t she? “Doesn’t that contradict what you just said?”

“Korra, the Fire Nation had invaded the Water Tribes, the Earth Kingdom, and almost wiped out the Airbenders. They had to be stopped.” Aang said kindly. “Airbenders don’t seek fights. We don’t blast air at people recklessly. We carefully control the winds. “His face lit up. He’d had an idea. “Remember the other day, when we first arrived here, and Ikki almost blew Pema off her feet.” Korra nodded. “Well, she didn’t mean to hurt her, not intentionally.” He continued. “Airbending is inherently defensive, not offensive. And you…well, err, you’re primarily a very offensive type of bender.”

Korra frowned for a long moment, then her eyes went wide. “Ohhhhh. I get it.” That’s why Tenzin was so insistent on me dodging rather than attacking.

“I bet Tenzin was trying to teach you the same thing,” Aang said. “Maybe you just didn’t want to listen to him- “

“I was listening to him!” Korra retorted with a huff. “He was the one who was doing a piss poor job explaining things!”

“O-okay.” Aang made a pacifying gesture. “Umm, did you ever learn about Jing?”

“No.” Korra frowned at him. “What is it?”

“Well, there are eighty-five different types of Jing,” Aang explained with a sad smile as if recalling a cherished memory. He shook his head and continued talking. “Most of them aren’t relevant at the moment, so I’ll just explain the two major ones: positive and negative. Positive Jing is mainly used by Firebenders. It’s all about being active with your bending. Firebenders prefer to attack first, to overwhelm their opponents as quickly as possible.” He paused and looked at her. “Are you with me so far?”

“Yes,” Korra said, nodding excitedly. She was enraptured by this half-history, half-airbending lesson.

“In contrast, Negative Jing is defensive. The exact opposite of Positive Jing.” He said. “It’s all about avoiding conflict or even the idea of using force.”

“That sounds like Airbending,” Korra murmured. “You don’t attack- you dodge your opponent’s attacks instead.”

“Exactly!” Aang grinned at her. “Positive and Negative Jing are polar opposites- different ways of fighting. One is not lesser or greater than the other.”

“Then…” Korra furrowed her brow.” …to be able to airbend, I need to learn to fight with Negative Jing, instead of Positive Jing?”

“Yes!”

“But how do I do that?” Korra complained. “I like fighting. I mean- “She huffed, shaking her head.  

Aang gave her a sympathetic look. “Korra, change is difficult. Especially learning to balance your Jing. It’s something I had to learn as well.”

“Really?” She gave him a surprised look.

“Yeah,” He nodded. “When I was learning earthbending, I had to learn about “Neutral Jing”. Erm, it’s basically in-between Positive and Negative Jing. Instead of attacking or defending, you wait for the right moment to strike,” He took a deep breath. “I also had to learn to meet my problems head-on. It took me a loong time to do that. Toph got so mad at me.” He laughed. “In the end, I had to save Sokka from a rampaging Saber-tooth moose lion to finally unlock earthbending.

“I wish I could meet your friends,” Korra said wistfully, feeling oddly sad. Stop distracting yourself! Focus on the lesson at hand! She cleared her throat. “Can you give me a demonstration? I think it’d help me understand better.”

“Sure.” Aang glanced at the snow around them. “Okay, this may sound weird, but I want you to try to hit me.”

“What?”

“Don’t hold back. Give it your all,” He said seriously. “Use a waterwhip, okay?”

“Okay,” Korra said, slowly and hesitantly raising some of the snow into a long water whip. Inhaling sharply, she lashed out at Aang.

He moved like the wind. Literally. The whip completely missed him, thudding into the ground instead.

“Nice try,” Aang teased her. “But try harder!”

“Tch,” She snarled, nostrils flaring, and tried to hit him again. He easily dodged out of the way.

They continued like this for several minutes. She got faster and faster each time but still didn’t manage to land a blow on him. For his part, Aang never struck back. By the end of their little exercise, she was badly out of breath, glaring at him with all her might.

“Do you get it now?” He said, smiling gently at her.

Get it? Korra froze. Of course! “I was positive Jing. You were negative Jing.”

“Exactly,” His smile became proud. “Well done!”

“So… I have to learn to move like you to unlock airbending?” She couldn’t help but wince at the thought.

“Well, it’s the first step.” He said. “And don’t worry- airbending isn’t just dodging. There are other things to learn.”

“Like what?” She perked up. Hopefully, it’s something more exciting.

“Meditation!”

Korra groaned. “I’m gonna go find Tenzin and restart my lesson.”

“That’s the spirit!” Aang said enthusiastically. “You’ll be airbending in no time!”

Korra laughed, then took a deep breath. “Aang, before I go, can I ask you something? Something…personal.”

“Uhh, sure.”

“You and Tenzin…what’s that all about?”

Aang immediately tensed. “We’re…” He shook his head. “It’s nothing. I’ll sort it out.”

“Umm, okay.” She pursed her lips, then shrugged. “See you at dinner.”

“Wait, Korra.” Aang cautioned her. “When you get back to Tenzin… I think you should ask him to slow down your training.”  

“What?” Korra recoiled. “I’m not an idiot Aang.”

“I don’t think you’re an idiot.” He said quickly. “It’s just… I don’t want you to push yourself too hard. You have a lot to learn. If you take on all of it at once, it’ll overwhelm you, but if you start slower, you can ease into it.” He smiled. “Believe me, I know what I’m talking about.”

“…fine.” Korra gave in. “I’ll ask Tenzin to go slower.”

“Thank you, Korra,” Aang said. “If you need anything else, just come and find me.” He chuckled. “Now, I need to find the airbending trio before they get into some real trouble.”

“Good luck.” Korra huffed in amusement. She left to find her airbending teacher.

Tenzin was sitting on the steps of the main building, hands folded beneath his cloak, staring pensively at the ground. “Tenzin!” Korra called out.” I’m ready to start training again.”

“Korra!” Tenzin flinched and stumbled to his feet. “Are- are you sure?”

“I am,” Korra huffed. “Aang gave me some good advice. He...he asked me to ask you to slow down my training.”

“Slow down?” Tenzin frowned.

“Meaning, don’t throw stuff at me so quickly,” She explained. “Give me time to dodge.”

“Aang suggested that?”

“He did,” She clenched her jaw, feeling upset.

“He’s right.” Tenzin suddenly smiled.

“What?”

Tenzin gave her an apologetic look. “Korra, I’m sorry, but I think I started too quickly with you. The news about the spirits…it made me accelerate your training.”

“But I don’t- “Korra grunted. “- fine. Let’s get on with it.”

“The earthbender is still in the infirmary,” Tenzin cocked his head. “I’ll find a waterbender. We can practice with a water whip. That way, we can control the speed of the shots better.”

Korra stared at him for a moment, then nodded in agreement. I can’t believe I didn’t see it. She snickered. Aang was training me. Well, sort of.

Chapter Text

Aang knew that the White Lotus was watching him. Ever since he had snuck out with Korra, the eyes of the sentries followed him everywhere. When he went to see Appa or Naga, observed Korra as she trained with Tenzin, played with Tenzin’s kids, or even when he took a walk around the compound.

They were wary of him. His excursion with Korra had caught them off guard. In one stroke, he had undermined their confidence in their abilities and the authority of their order. Sometimes he could hear the sentries arguing, trading whispered barbs and insults. Some didn’t want to guard Korra anymore, believing she should be set free.

Aang sighed and stared at the darkening sky, before abruptly turning and locking eyes with one of the guards on the outer wall. The man squeaked and scurried away, aghast at being caught.

Shaking his head, Aang headed for the main building. It was time for dinner. Mealtimes was one of the few times he could have some privacy. He had only been there for a few days, yet it felt like an eternity. The lack of freedom was tearing at him.

How did Korra keep her sanity being imprisoned here for all these years? He thought, shuddering as he entered the dining room.

Everyone else was already there. Sitting in a cluster at the end of the table, Tenzin’s kids greeted him with wide smiles. Next to them, Pema and Katara nodded at him, before returning to their conversation. And at the head of the table-

“Korra, for the last time, you’re not going to Republic City!” Tenzin rebuked his student.

“So, what, you leave in a few days and then my airbending training just stops?” Korra snapped, glaring at him sharply.

Tenzin huffed, clenching his jaw. “No. I can stay behind and send my family home- “

“Tenzin, we don’t have time for this,” Korra said, giving him an exasperated look. “I know you want to slow down my training, but maybe Aang can- “

Tenzin grimaced. “Aang isn’t going to teach you. He’s- “

Korra’s eyes flashed with anger, and she cackled, so quietly that she was almost hissing. “I can’t believe it. The world is gonna end because of a stubborn old man.”

Tenzin bristled, shaking his head. He was on the verge of giving in to his own volatile emotions.

“Hey guys! Sorry that I’m late!” Aang announced loudly, sitting next to Meelo at the end of the table. I’ll talk to them privately after dinner and sort all of this out. They shouldn’t argue in front of the kids. It’ll make them upset.

Tenzin’s anger abruptly vanished. He turned to him, eyes wide, half desperate, half upset.  “Aang.” He didn’t say anything else.

Aang gave Korra a bright smile, signalling that he wanted the arguing to stop.

Korra opened her mouth, then closed it and nodded.

The others took this as a cue to start eating. The room descended into an uneasy silence. Korra picked at her food, while Tenzin ate quickly, trying to distract himself.

Aang found himself glancing between the two of them. He was worried. Both for his friend and…whatever Tenzin was to him.

Tenzin is…Aang swallowed. He was finally facing an uncomfortable truth. I’ve only known him for about three weeks, and yet he treats me as if I’m one of his own children. And I…I don’t want to get attached, but I think I’m starting to- He felt a hand tug on his shoulder and looked down.

Meelo bit his lip. “Umm…I know I shouldn’t ask this…but what was Dad and Korra arguing about, big brother?”

Aang smiled at him. Spirits bless you, Meelo. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t anything too bad- “

“Aang isn’t your big brother,” Tenzin suddenly admonished his son. His tone was clipped, and his gaze stern. “He isn’t a member of our family.”

Meelo winced. “But- “

“And he isn’t going to be around for much longer anyway,” Tenzin muttered. “So there’s no point in getting attached to him.”

“I don’t understand.” Meelo sounded broken. “Why would Aang leave? Doesn’t he like me?”

“Meelo don’t be silly, of course, I like you,” Aang assured him.

Meelo grinned at him hopefully. “So, you won’t leave?”

“I- “Aang swallowed his words. He couldn’t lie to Meelo, couldn’t refute his fears. Not when they were true.

“Big bro?” Meelo looked like he was about to cry. He whimpered and grabbed his arm.

Aang recoiled. The five-year-old’s grip was surprisingly strong. “Meelo- “

Meelo shook his head, refusing to let go.

“Tenzin,” Pema gave her husband a pointed look.

Tenzin shut his eyes and took a deep breath, aware that he had messed up. “Meelo, Aang isn’t going away forever. He’s just going away on a trip.”

Meelo sniffed. “A-a trip?”

“Yes. A trip. That’s all.” Tenzin said carefully.

“Can I- “

“He has something very important to do,” Tenzin stressed. “You can’t go with him.”

Aang frowned. What is Tenzin doing?

“You won’t be gone for too long, right?” Meelo accosted him, a desperate glint in his eyes.

“N-no,” Aang murmured. He couldn’t say anything else.

Meelo relaxed and released him. “I hope you have a nice trip!”

Aang glanced at Tenzin, searching for answers.

The older Airbender was staring at the table, brow furrowed deeply in thought. He didn’t look up.

“Meelo, Pema told me you’ve been making snowmen today?” Katara chimed in, smiling gently.

“Snowpeople,” Meelo corrected her. “I was making snowpeople.” He started rambling about everything he had built. Aang tuned him out and got back to his food.

The rest of the dinner passed by peacefully. The kids did all the talking. Afterwards, Korra left quickly. Aang followed closely behind before anyone could stop him.

They met in her room. Korra locked the door and barred the window. It was the only place they could talk in private.   

“I can’t believe Tenzin!” Korra ranted. “He’s so- aargh!” She punched the wall, leaving a small dent. “I can’t take this anymore!”

“Korra…” Aang said, biting his lip. He felt so conflicted. Part of him didn’t want to leave. “I…I don’t know-”

Korra huffed, raising her head and giving him a stern look. “Aang, I’m escaping this place. With or without you.”

Aang steeled himself. He couldn’t hold back anymore. For the sake of his friends, Tenzin and his family, and the entire world. “You’re right. We can’t wait anymore.”

Korra grimaced, nodding at him in determination. “We have to leave. Get to Republic City and meet up with your friends. Then, we can figure something out.”

“How are we going to escape?” Aang said, wracking his brains. “They’re watching Naga and Appa. Constantly. We can’t sneak out again like last time.”

“We need to come up with a plan,” Korra muttered. “Something good.” She cocked her head. “We could try fighting our way out? I’m pretty sure I can outbend all the guards. And if you help me-”

“No,” Aang said.” There are too many of them. And…well…it’s not a good plan. We would just end up hurting a lot of innocent people.”

Korra pouted but didn’t argue.

Aang scratched the back of his head. “What about this- maybe we could earthbend deep below the compound and sneak out that way? Appa could meet us somewhere.”

“No,” Korra grunted in irritation. “There are sensors underground. We’d be caught in seconds.”

“What about the air?” Aang suggested desperately. “You could go for a ride on Naga, then I could swoop down on Appa and pick you up. We’d fly away before anyone could stop us.”

“Tenzin would just chase us down on Oogi.” Korra pointed out. “No. We need to try something they won’t expect. Like- like- “She crossed her arms and breathed in deeply. “Aang, I think we need more help. Another person. Someone they aren’t watching.”

Aang frowned. “But who- “

*Knock* *Knock*

They shared an uneasy look. Korra went to the door and opened it an inch, peeking through to see who it was. Then she suddenly stepped back, opening it all the way. “Hey, Katara.” She said, smiling nervously. “What are you doing here?”

Katara entered the room slowly, giving the Avatar a knowing look. “I’m here because I was worried about the two of you.” She raised an eyebrow. “Now, what have you been conspiring about?”

Aang flinched. Does she suspect us?

“W-we weren’t conspiring about anything.” Korra lied badly. “Umm- I was just telling Aang about how much I love my Airbending lesson today!”

“Uh-huh.” Katara sounded like she didn’t believe it one bit. “Tenzin made you meditate today.”

Korra’s expression dimmed. “A-and?”

“You hated it. You kept talking and annoying him,” Katara chuckled. “Neither of you could concentrate for too long.”

Korra grimaced. She couldn’t keep lying to the older Waterbender. “Aang and I were talking about running away.”

“Katara- “Aang said, exhaling sharply. “We need to- “

“I understand. And I agree.” Katara nodded, expression serious. “What can I do to help?”

Chapter Text

In the end, Tenzin decided to wait. He grabbed a chair, went to Aang’s room, and sat down. I’m going to respect their boundaries. I’m not going to disturb their privacy and ruin things further. He knew Aang was with Korra, probably talking about him, or mocking him.

He didn’t care. They could do whatever they wanted. But he needed to talk to Aang. Sort things out with him. Before-

This is ridiculous. He tapped his fingers against the sides of the chair. Utterly ridiculous. He swallowed. But which part?

The part where he almost saw Aang as one of his own children, despite only having known him for a couple of weeks? The part where he felt this was all a mistake, coming to the South Pole with his family? If we had stayed in Republic City, none of this would’ve happened. He thought stubbornly.

He heard soft footsteps and glanced down the hallway. Aang was approaching him, head downcast, so deep in thought that he hadn’t realised he was there.

Tenzin frowned. Not wanting to scare him, he called out. “Aang!”