Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

     Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled in the skies above Yakoya. The storm, the type that came only once in a decade, had raged for days now. The small coastal town had become completely water-logged. For the first few days, the people in the village had worked against the lashing rain. There were fields that needed draining. Sails that needed to be taken down and safely stored. Roofs that needed to be reinforced and repaired. But now, they were all simply huddled in their homes. It was in the hands of the spirits now. 

     And yet two figures moved through the torrent. They were not in the town itself, but near the estate at its outskirts. The two moved as quickly they could from the stables to the nearest entrance. But their speed was pointless. Their journey had already left them soaked to the bone.

     They made for the nearest entrance. It was a door the taller of the two could find purely on instinct. Even if they couldn't see it through the rain and the darkness, she had used it so often in the past her large feet could guide them on their own. Though it admittedly did take a second or two of aimless groping to find the handle. 

     After all, Kyoshi wasn't really supposed to use the servant's entrance anymore. And hadn't for many years.

     She held the door open to let her long-suffering chamberlain get out of the rain first. But followed immediately afterward. The hallway on the other side was even darker. And from the pitch-black came the mild voice of her air bending friend.

     "Well this does seem like the appropriate ending for this little adventure," Jinpa said. If it was anyone else Kyoshi would have suspected there was veiled sarcasm beneath his gentle joke. That she just couldn't detect his judgment and derision. But that wasn't his style. Even after all they had been through.

     The young avatar sighed and silently agreed. The two had journeyed south to the Water Tribe. A group of bandits had struck upon the clever idea of disguising their raids by dressing up as members of two opposing clans. Skirmishes had already broken out by the time her boots hit the ice. In the end, she had called a conclave between the tribal leaders. Only to sneak off in the night. She trusted the monk could keep the peace. While the Avatar stalked across icecaps to find their base. And when the sun came up the two tribes awoke to find Avatar Kyoshi, in her full regalia, standing above the battered and beaten bandits that had caused them so much trouble. 

     It was a simple but effective tactic. And also one that guaranteed she would be chewed out and forced into horse stance once she was back in Yokoya.  

     But that was only the beginning of the problems. For the past several days she and Jinpa had been in a war against the storm above them. The two had needed to combine their bending to cut a path for Yingyong. It was an exhausting journey. As they jumped from island to island the two slept little and only got the chance to eat about once a day. 

     That would probably earn her another ten minutes squatting, probably why holding something heavy. She could practically hear her sifu growling in her ear. And why, exactly, did you not just wait out the storm?

     But it was already fairly late. Perhaps her sifu had already retired for the night.

     Either way that was a problem for the future. For now, she just needed some light. With trained ease, she tugged one of her fans free from her belt. With a flick of the wrist it snapped open and a flame erupted from its edge. The hall was filled with golden light and the state of it and its occupants were laid bare.

     The hallway was in rough shape. There were occasional cracks in the plaster and patches of the floor's polish had flaked off. It was in desperate need of maintenance. But it, at least, was clean. Which was more than could be said for the people standing in it.

     "Will Yingyong be alright?" Kyoshi asked quietly. She turned away from her secretary. There were a pair of sconces bracketing the door. One was empty but the other had about half a candle left in it. With a wave of her fan the flame she created rushed to wick like a hawk to its perch. 

     The poor bison was hardly the best flier. Even in perfect conditions, he would sometimes struggle. And the last few days were anything but perfect. In an ideal world, the five-legged fluff monster would have been greeted with piles of oats and fruits and a warm, comfy bed to lay on. But unfortunately, Yingyong was stuck in Kyoshi's world. So all he got was a dilapidated stable to sleep in.

     She should have just waited out the storm.

     "He should be," Jinpa reassured her. "The roof isn't leaking. And even with all their fur bison actually dry out fast. He just needs a few days to rest and then he'll… well right as rain seems like the wrong turn of phrase for the moment."

     That was good to hear. It didn't do much for the familiar twisting feeling in her guts. But the tall, young woman was glad to hear it. With a deep breath, she turned the golden war fan on her friend and began to slowly wave it through the air. The water that soaked her friend's skin and robes formed into thin tendrils that stretched into the open air. It almost seemed eager to form into the small sphere that followed her fan like a conductor's baton.

     "My my, how gracious of you, Avatar," Jinpa said with a small, teasing smile on his round face. "Perhaps you should needlessly blame yourself for bad weather more often."

     Kyoshi glared. First at her friend. Then at the mud they had tracked inside. That wouldn't do. It may have been years since it had been her job, but she still could not stand idly by when there was cleaning to do. That being said, she often felt there were really only two differences between being a maid and being the Avatar. The type of filth she was responsible for clearing away, and the scale she was expected to work at.

     She drew her second fan and began to bend the muck from her companion's feet and the wooden floor. Normally when the Avatar chose to bend two elements together the results were the birth of legends. But not this time. This time the result was a large brown bubble. 

     With her secretary taken care of, she turned her attention to her own state. But tired as she was Kyoshi couldn't put the same effort into taking care of herself. The mud was, of course, shown no mercy. But the water soaking her hair and kimono was largely left where it was. She just needed to get out enough to no longer be literally dripping wet. Time could handle the rest.

     As she worked she spotted a glow down the hall. A single flame flickering in a lantern, and a pair of seafoam green eyes peering at her from around the corner. 

     It was a relatively young girl, maybe fifteen years old. When Kyoshi nodded at her, trying to let her know she was free to approach, the girl squeaked like a mouse finch and cast her eyes downward. She was clearly ashamed at being caught staring. But to her credit, she did start walking towards the two new arrivals.

     Kyoshi didn't recognize her. The earth Avatar had made it a point to know all the staff at the mansion after she officially moved back in. It was a wise precaution. Plus, after spending so many years on the other side of the serving platter she didn't want any of the people who helped her to feel like interchangeable tools. The girl clearly didn't have the same amount of experience. She shuffled awkwardly making far more noise than servants were expected to. And the relatively loose green robes she wore let on that Auntie Mui expected the girl to keep growing.

     Her face was interesting. She seemed to have mixed ancestry. But unlike Kyoshi, she had a mix of Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe features. Not unusual at all in Yakoya. But if the girl was from the village Kiyoshi would definitely know her.

     "Avatar Kiyoshi. Master Jinpa. It is an honor. I…" The girl trailed off. She stared wide-eyed up at Kiyoshi. It was an expression the giant woman had come to know well over the last few years.

     The Avatar was a figure of harmony and enlightenment. They were a figure to be treated with adulation and reverence. And Avatar Kiyoshi was righteous vengeance and divine wrath given flesh, a figure to be feared and respected. So when people looked up at her (it was always up) their faces were filled with an awe she had only felt once in her life. When she came face to face with a dragon for the first time.

     "What's your name?" Kiyoshi tried to ask kindly. But her deep voice was better suited to command than soothe. She often wondered how Kelsang always managed to sound so kindly with an even deeper voice.

     "It's, um, Fu… your Avatarness." To his credit, Jinpa wasn't actually laughing. But he was clearly a hair's breadth from cackling like a maniac.

     "Fu," Kiyoshi spoke quickly before the girl really started to panic. "It's nice to meet you. Please don't worry about propriety for my sake. If you ever need to speak to me, please just do so. I promise I'm not going to bite your head off over every little thing."

     "Oh, um," Fu gaped up at the Avatar in disbelief. "Well, Mistress Rangi gave us strict instructions to send you to her as soon as you arrived. I think she's still in your study."

     "Thank you," Kiyoshi said. Thoughts of Rangi filled her mind. "It's pretty late you should probably get some rest. If you bump into anyone else pass that on. Whatever work is left will still be there tomorrow."

     "Wow. Thank you, Avatar," Fu said, amazed at her good fortune.

     Kiyoshi missed her make-up. Reverence always made her cheeks flush. She wasn't sure she'd ever get used to it. So to hide her embarrassment she opened the door again and streamed the dirty water she had gathered back outside.

     As she did a blinding flash of white light illuminated the night. And a deafening rumble filled the air. The tall woman slammed the door shut before she let any more of the storm in.

     When she turned around she found Jinpa rubbing his eyes. And Fu stared up at the ceiling. It looked like she expected it to collapse at any moment. Perhaps it wasn't just meeting the Avatar that set the girl on edge. 

     "The storm will pass in a few days. Just stay strong until then." Kiyoshi said calmly.

     Fu seemed no calmer. If anything she seemed only more blown away by the Avatar. Kiyoshi internally grimaced. One of the many things she learned on her journey was that many people assumed the Avatar had many more powers than she actually did. This girl probably thought she could see the future now. Or maybe that Kiyoshi controlled the weather.

     But before she could clear up the misunderstanding a gentle current of air moved through the hallway. Jinpa slowly twirled his hand, his bending ruffling Fu's hair.

     "May the wind bless your dreams with peace and quiet." He spoke as though he was reciting some ancient prayer.

     Fu beamed and held her arms out to catch as much of the blessing as she could.

     "Thank you, master!" She offered each of them a quick bow. Then scurried off, no doubt to enthuse about Jinpa's blessing. Or maybe just to take advantage of his gift.

     When Kiyoshi glanced at her secretary he offered a simple shrug. Part of her was annoyed at how easily he handled the situation. But tried not to let it get to her. After all, that was why she liked to bring him on her excursions. The monk had a way with people she could never truly emulate.

     But she didn't have time to brood about her intimidating aura. Kyoshi set off towards her study as fast as her exhausted body could carry her, with Jinpa quietly padding behind her. They were already three days late. And while the tall woman could never fully list her lover's virtues, one thing she wasn't, was patient. Thankfully they weren’t far from the office. After only a few minutes of trudging the two found themselves before yet another door. Kyoshi raised a scarred fist, took a deep breath, and lightly rapped on the wood with a single knuckle. Immediately a tired, but firm, and slightly raspy, voice called from beyond.

     “Come in.” 

     Kyoshi pushed the door open and froze. Her breath hitched in her throat and her heart skipped a beat. There was Rangi sitting behind her desk (Officially it was Kyoshi’s desk. But as with everything in her life she was more than willing to share it with her bodyguard.) The fire bender was free of her normal armor, instead clad in maroon tunic. Her amber eyes glided along the papers before her, likely the last for the night. The silky black hair on her head was pulled into her typical honorable top knot, but a few strands had escaped. This was clearly a private moment the Avatar had walked in on. A final few bits of paperwork taken care of before the recently promoted Captain retired for the evening.

     It was a sight that Kyoshi could not tear her gaze away from, even if she tried. It even stole her voice in a way no other thing in this world could. She wondered if that would ever change. If there would ever come a time when even an hour of separation would not leave the giant woman hungry for even a glimpse of her lover. She hoped not. She hoped there would never be a time she would grow so blind to the beauty of the world that even Rangi’s radiance would fade. That was a fate even an Avatar could never face.

     Rangi glanced up from her work to see who had dropped in on her. In an instant, her countenance flipped. She had been sitting there with her trademark military discipline, straight-backed and stone-faced. But seeing her friends she was on her feet and vaulting over the desk. Relief bloomed on her face like a fire lily. The shorter woman barreled into Kyoshi like a tigerdillo spotting easy prey. Her muscular arms wrapped around her girlfriend’s floating ribs and squeezed the air out of her lungs. But despite the discomfort, Kyoshi eagerly returned the hug and even planted a kiss on the top of Rangi’s head.

     “You made it,” Rangi sighed before pulling away. She offered Jinpa an apologetic grin, but the nomad had gotten used to situations like this. “I was starting to get worried.”

     “We got caught in the storm,” Kyoshi explained. She hoped that would be all for tonight. It was already late. Hopefully, late enough that Rangi would just let her go to bed.

     But then Jinpa stepped forward. Kyoshi’s heart fell through the floor. But she gritted her teeth and tried to fight the guilty grimace her face wanted to form. She should have known this was coming. It was an inevitability. Ever since the two women were reunited in Caldera City, this little ritual had been a semiregular part of their lives. Whenever fate conspired to separate Rangi from her Avatar she made sure the monk would travel with Kyoshi. And when the three reunited he would have a report ready for the captain. He would calmly list every meal she missed, every hour she should have slept, and every risk she took. Often with a relish that seemed totally at odds with the man’s normally kind demeanor.

     Kyoshi hated it. She hated the idea that she needed a babysitter. And she hated the remedies Rangi always fashioned. But she never had the strength to stop them. It seemed to help her friends so she suffered the indignity.

     But to her surprise, Rangi forestalled the report. She raised a single hand and leaned back against the desk behind her.

     “We’ll have time for that later,” She said sternly, crossing her arms. “We can’t deal with the elephant koi while the Unagi is in the bay.”

     That was strange. Both because Rangi had never skipped over Jinpa’s report and because of what she said. There was something truly bizarre in hearing the fire bender using a turn of phrase so specific to Yakoya. Her past and future often collided in strange ways.

     “What’s today?” Rangi asked.

     “Uh,” Whatever Kyoshi had been suspecting, it wasn’t that. “Springtime?”

     Her lover quirked an eyebrow at her. Kyoshi wanted to blame her answer on the fact that she was tired. But really this was just a side effect of her girlfriend’s presence. There was something about being with the fire bender that made her mouth speak without waiting for input from her brain.

     “That is technically correct,” Rangi said, sounding very much like her mother at that moment. “But the answer I was looking for was day 7,239 of the Era of Kyoshi.”

     The Avatar wasn’t really sure where this was going. She glanced at her secretary. Jinpa didn’t look at her. He was muttering to himself and wiggling a finger like he was writing.

     “Ah,” The monk said, smiling broadly. “Your birthday is coming up, Kyoshi. Congratulations. I’ll have to see if I can make a fruit pie.”

     As he spoke Rangi circled back around the desk. She pulled open a drawer and lifted out a stack of papers. Saying nothing she handed the papers, letters based on the glance Kyoshi got of them, to Jinpa. Who read the first one.

     "It seems Governor Te would like to host you for your birthday." The monk announced.

     "He's inviting me to my own birthday party?" Kyoshi asked, a little taken aback. Far be it from her to try and sound off on the fine minutiae of courtly etiquette, but that seemed a little presumptuous. But instead of following up on that thought, Jinpa flipped to the next page.

     "The chief of the Northern Water Tribe too." He flipped to the next letter. "And the King of Omashu." He flipped again. "So does the governor of Taku." Flip. "And the Beifongs." Flip. "The chief of the Southern Water Tribe." Flip. "Wow, The Earth King." Flip. "The Fire Lord?" He asked in disbelief of Rangi.

     "What?!" Kyoshi asked, totally confused. "But Zoryu hates me. He thinks I want to kill him."

     "Can you blame him? You did send an assassin to threaten him." Jinpa said calmly.

     "So is this a trap? Is that why everyone suddenly wants me to come to dinner? Is it-" The tall woman looked to her girlfriend for answers but stopped talking. Rangi was getting frustrated. Her cheeks were starting to color. Her brows were slightly knit. And her mouth was curved into a small pout. Kyoshi almost leaned in to kiss her, that pout was so cute. But self preservation told her to stay still and silent. 

     "How old are you turning Kyoshi?" The woman's tomboyish voice was quiet and calm. Specifically, it was a calm that hid a storm far more dangerous than the one outside.

     "Um, nineteen." Kiyoshi offered Rangi a weak smile. But her mind raced. What did that matter? What was going on? And why was Jinpa gaping at her like a fish?

     "Twenty." Rangi closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "You're turning twenty, you giant idiot."

     "Oh." The Avatar and her secretary said in unison. But their tones were radically different. Kyoshi was supremely embarrassed. She tried to justify her mistake, after all for many years she wasn't actually sure exactly how old she was. Jinpa's tone was far graver. Apparently, the pieces had finally clicked into place for him.

     "We might have a problem." He said, oddly detached from the moment. As though his mind had suddenly found itself miles away.

     "No kidding," Rangi scoffed.

     "Why?" Kyoshi was very, very lost.

     "Because you, Avatar Kyoshi, are turning twenty," Rangi shouted in frustration. "You're turning twenty and we haven't made any plans."

     "What plans?" Kyoshi begged for an answer.

     That was the straw that broke the camelephant's back. The fire bender roared and turned away from her girlfriend before she said something she couldn't unsay. The tall girl reached out to try and apologize and mollify her lover. But Jinpa, ever the peacekeeper, stepped between them and launched into an explanation.

     "Traditionally, the Avatar's significant birthdays, the fives and tens, are widely celebrated. And since most Avatars aren't revealed until they're sixteen, the twentieth is the first major one people get the chance to celebrate. So it's a big one." Jinpa lectured calmly. "If one could, say, host the Avatar for this important celebration? Well that would be a huge honor. And it would make them seem much closer to you than they actually were."

     The Avatar in question sighed heavily and glowered at the letters in the monk's hands. So it was politics. Of course it was. Whenever Kyoshi found something confusing it would seemingly always boil down to petty, political machinations.

     "So I'm saying no to all of those," The tall woman said with finality.

     "Exactly," Jinpa said. "Which means we're going to have to throw a party here."

     "What? Why?" Kyoshi said. "Couldn't we just not have a party." That made sense to her at least. Humility was a virtue after all.

     "No!" Rangi yelled, turning on her again. "We can't just not throw a party!"

     "Why not? I don't understand-"

      "No, you don't understand." Rangi cut her off. "In two months, every town and village across the four nations are going to hold festivals in your honor. I even got a letter from my cousin asking if your fans were actually gold. She wanted to make fan-shaped dumplings for the occasion."

     "If we don't celebrate your birthday we are basically telling all of them that you aren't worth celebrating. That you don't think you're worth celebrating." Rangi continued. "And no, before you ask. We can't just do something small. That would basically be an admission that we couldn't plan something big"

     The fire islander took a second to recenter herself before she continued. Her voice was far calmer and more tender when she spoke again.

      "I know you don't care what they think of you," She said, pointing at the letters. "And I know you don't like worrying about your reputation. But this time it isn't just about those men. And it's not just your reputation."

     "Okay," Kyoshi said, placing a hand on Rangi's shoulder. "We can do this. But the mansion… isn't ready." 

     To put it bluntly, the mansion was a wreck. Time had taken its toll on the structure. And with only a skeleton crew to maintain it, there was not a single room that escaped its ravages. In truth, it was a husk of its former self. It now stood as a twisted monument to Jianzhu's opulence and Kyoshi's callous disregard for the same.

     "Exactly," Rangi said, starch returning to her voice and spine. "So now we've only got a few months to both plan a big party, and get the mansion ready to host a big party."

     "Where do we start?" Jinpa asked.

     "I already have," The fire islander stated bluntly. "I managed to track down some of the carpenters who helped build the mansion. And my grandfather agreed to send some gardeners. They should all get here in a week or so, assuming this storm ever lets up. That should hopefully give them enough time to make repairs and tame the thickets we've been growing."

     "I can reach out to some of my contacts," Jinpa said, rubbing his chin. "They can probably point me in the direction of some painters and sculptors who'd be willing to help. I might have to pick them up on Yingyong though. Maybe I can get some other nomads to give them a lift."

     "And I can help the rest of the staff out," Kyoshi added. "A lot of what needs to be done isn't hard. We just need hands."

     "Auntie Mui sent some letters out to a few friends she could trust. There's no telling how many people she can scrounge up, but it can't hurt." After Rangi spoke an awkward silence fell over the three. They had barely scratched the surface of what needed to be done. But before they could really lose heart, the fire bender spoke again.

     "Look there's not anything we can do about it tonight," She said logically. "And you two look like you're about to fall over. Let's get some sleep and we can pick this up over breakfast."

     "Well, I won't fight that," The monk said, stifling a yawn. "I'll see you two in the morning."

      He offered each of the women a quick bow and swiftly made his exit. This left Kyoshi and Rangi alone for the first time in over a week. The Avatar’s mossy eyes locked with her lover’s shining, gold ones. She was searching for something. Permission. Even after all these years, she could never tell when her girlfriend was frustrated and needed affection, and when she was frustrated and needed to be left alone. So she searched her sifu’s beautiful face for any sign that she could kiss her like she desperately wanted to.

     But she didn’t see it. Kyoshi did what she could to keep her upper lip stiff. After all, if Rangi didn’t-

     In a flash, two warm hands cupped Kyoshi’s cheeks and sharply pulled her head down. Rangi’s lips crashed against hers without shame or doubt. The taller girl’s knees almost gave out beneath her, as she and her lover shared a week’s worth of passion with each other. At that moment she was grateful for the rain soaking her earlier. Without it, the expensive silk she wore would likely have gone up in smoke. Not that a sudden fire would have separated the two. It seemed like nothing could.

     But eventually, the two pulled apart taking in several much-needed lungfuls of air. Though their arms remained firmly locked around the other woman’s waist.

     “I missed you,” Rangi whispered.

     “I missed you too,” Kyoshi responded.

     “I love you.”

     “I love you too.”

     Kyoshi basked in the warm smile of her lover for as long as she could. But eventually, Rangi licked her lips and frowned.

     “You haven’t eaten today.” It wasn’t a question.

     “I- The storm! But-” Kyoshi sputtered. Her lover sighed and pulled away, taking one of her scared hands in her own.

     “I know. I figured that would be a problem,” The fire bender led the Avatar of the office and down the hallway. She raised her free hand, creating a small, dancing ball of fire in her palm. “Auntie Mui has actually been leaving some food in your room at night in case you came in late. I think it’s steamed buns tonight. They’re probably cold by now, but you are going to eat them all anyway. I don’t want you sleeping on an empty stomach. Again.”

     “Will you spend the night with me?” Kyoshi asked. It was a bit of a silly question. Like the desk, Kyoshi’s room was practically Rangi’s too. But they did still technically have separate rooms. Every so often one of them might need a moment to themselves. A little space and a little time apart could sometimes help put things into perspective. Though Kyoshi felt they had had more than enough of both at the moment. 

     “If you’re good,” Rangi said neutrally.

     Kyoshi’s face fell at that. Not the words. Those were the type of words she had come to know and treasure during their relationship. The fire bender was a military woman through and through. She was controlled and disciplined. But once the two were alone, she would allow her softer side to show. In those moments Rangi could be as sweet, caring, or playful as she wanted to be. So the occasional teasing was something Kyoshi was used to. But now her partner’s tone was different. It was wrong. It was too cold, too distant, too aloof. This whole situation must have really gotten to her.

     The tall woman wanted to simply scoop her up in her long arms and make her problems disappear. But that wasn’t how it worked. For now, she just needed to trust Rangi. Given time, the fire bender would either work out her feelings for herself or find a way to talk to her lover about what was bothering her.

      So she allowed herself to be led down the darkened halls until they reached their bedroom. It was a large one. It needed to be to hold the overly large bed it held. Though it wasn’t the largest suite. Or even the second largest one. Those two remained empty and unused even to this day.

     The two young women entered the room and shut the door behind them. Once their privacy was assured the first order of business was getting Kyoshi out of her wet clothes. Removing the kimono, with its many layers and hidden armor, was always a hassle. But the earth Avatar had years of experience by now. Not that that stopped Rangi from fussing over her like a moose lioness who noticed her cub was dirty. The taller woman wondered if it was even conscious behavior. Rangi seemed to only barely be paying attention to what she was doing. It was all instinct. 

     Still, she deftly helped loosen and remove the various pieces of fabric before hanging them on a rack. The fire bender even went so far as to fetch a nightdress and a set of dry undergarments for her lady. Though to her credit, she did it least stand to the side, arms crossed and tapping her toe, while Kyoshi pulled her sleepwear on. But the second the Avatar was decent, she steered the taller woman by her shoulders and sat her down on the edge of her bed.

     True to Rangi’s prediction, a steamer basket had been left on her pillow. Before it could be shoved at her, Kyoshi grabbed it and placed in her lap. She gingerly lifted the lid, and grimaced. Not because she wasn’t hungry. Or that she didn’t like steamed buns. Or that she hated Auntie’s cooking. She just didn’t need five of them, each bigger than her fist. It must have been another misconception about the Avatar. Maybe people thought she needed to eat for all her past lives or something. Though it also may have been her size. Though she had quickly noticed that a tall servant seemed to need less food than a tall Avatar in most people’s eyes.

     But this was a dance she and her lover had perfected over the years. Protesting now before she had taken a single bite would only make Rangi worry more. It was better to eat her fill first. Then, once her stomach was full, she could assure the shorter woman that it had been enough. So she selected the largest of the fluffy buns (that would help too) and took a bite. While they had indeed gone cold, the curry and pig chicken filling was still delicious.

     As she ate Rangi slipped into her own nightdress. Then she climbed onto the bed and slipped behind her girlfriend. She propped herself up on her knees and began rubbing her hands together. Her nimble fingers began combing through Kyoshi’s long, brown hair. The last vestiges of the rain steamed away as the fire bender's hands slowly stroked her slightly damp locks.

     It was an old Sei’Naka trick. Apparently, Rangi’s grandmother taught it to her when she was a little girl. And shortly after the two became a couple, Rangi shared it with Kyoshi. It was a trick the tall girl immediately loved. The heat of the steam and her girlfriend’s gentle ministrations combined to create a positively luxurious set of sensations. It may not have been her absolute favorite thing her lover could do with those skilled fingers of hers. But it was easily in the top five.

     Normally Kyoshi would have instantly melted and leaned back into Rangi’s touch. But she couldn’t enjoy the moment. Not with the loaded silence ringing in her ears.

     “I’m sorry, Rangi,” She said morosely, staring down at the basket in her lap.

     “I’m not mad at you,” The woman behind her said dismissively. But Kyoshi rolled her eyes.

     “I know this isn’t my shining moment. You don’t have to-”

     “I’m mad at myself, Kyoshi,” Rangi interrupted her. Kyoshi felt a powerful pair of arms snake around her shoulders. And a beautiful face buried itself in her newly dry hair.

     “How did I forget your birthday?” Rangi’s voice was barely audible. 

     "You didn't," Kyoshi pointed out, hoping to reassure her girlfriend. "It's not for another two months."

     This only made Rangi tighten her grip around her gigantic lover. When she spoke again her voice was even quieter. Kyoshi had to strain her ears to hear her.

     "But it wasn't just this year," The proud captain said between sniffles. A sound that broke the Avatar's heart. "When those invitations started coming in, I realized we had never actually celebrated your birthday together."

     "Yes, we have," Kiyoshi said as gently as possible. "We did last year." When she turned nineteen, her brain helpfully reminded her.

     "Splitting a glass of plum wine in a tiny inn when we couldn't even get a room to ourselves is not good enough. Not after what you did for mine." Her girlfriend retorted.

     The young Avatar frowned at the memory. It was actually one of her proudest moments. Shortly before Rangi's last birthday, Kyoshi had been asked to mediate a territorial dispute between the Zhang and Gan-jin. The problem was that they had already planned a party in Yokoya. Many of their friends and family were already on their way. The fire bender took it in stride. She accepted the consolation prize of a celebration a week or so after the actual day with the grace and dignity expected of her station. 

     But that wasn't good enough for her girlfriend. So Kyoshi got to work. With a little help from Jinpa, she reached out to the abbot of the Southern Air Temple. And with his help, a few young monks and nuns had been dispatched to intercept their guests mid-journey and take them to a small harbor town instead of Yakoya. All things considered, it was surprisingly easy. The nomads, even the stuffy old abbot, had found the idea of helping the almighty Avatar throw a surprise party for her lover to be so funny they all eagerly agreed. And in the end, all it had cost her was a few invitations to the party, and a promise to attend Yanchen's Festival the following year.

     Keeping the secret from Rangi had been much harder. Keeping a straight face while the young woman privately confided in her that I'm fact, yes missing her birthday did in fact bother her, was one of the greatest trials in Kyoshi's life. Fighting the urge to not comfort the love of her life with the truth right then and there probably took a year of her life. But it had all been worth it for the moment when they walked into the tavern filled with the noble woman's friends and family (and a small party of air benders who had formed an ad hoc band.) The look of flabbergasted delight on Rangi's gorgeous face would be a sight Kyoshi would never forget.

     But for her lover, that memory was now twisted. It was now filled with guilt and regret. That was a shard of flint through the Avatar's heart.

     "I've never even gotten you a birthday present," Rangi said clearly very close to losing the last shreds of her composure.

     "So? All I got you was some flowers," Kyoshi said frantically. She was desperate to say something to calm the woman clinging to her back. But that wasn't it.

     "You picked me an entire bouquet of panda lilies!" Rangi retorted in frustration.

     Kyoshi had snuck away the night before the surprise party. No small feat considering who she shared a bedroll with. But that was her only chance. She had used her air bending to move quickly and quietly through the forest and up the side of the nearby volcano. Then, guided by starlight, moonlight, and the glow of the lava, she picked twenty of the little flowers growing around the caldera's rim.

     On the way back to camp, she bound them as neatly as she could with red and green ribbons. She turned the bouquet around again and again, inspecting it from every angle. She found it rather unimpressive. The small, fragile, black-and-white blossoms seemed rather plain when compared to the vibrant, exotic flora of the fire islands. But Kyoshi had heard several women talk about how excited they would be if their prospective lover presented them with these flowers.

     The next night when Kyoshi pulled Rangi outside to give her her present, she was fully ready for more of a polite smile than anything else. Instead her sifu and girlfriend’s jaw dropped. She had gushed over how lovely they were and how incredible Kyoshi was. When the fire bender noticed the tall woman’s confusion, she launched into an explanation. About how the lilies were a symbol of everlasting love and devotion. How the two colors represented the union of the two lovers. And how their rarity and the difficulty of obtaining them spoke volumes about Kyoshi’s fidelity and passion. How most women would be lucky to even be given a single panda lily in their lifetime.

     Then when Kyoshi bashfully admitted that she didn’t realize she was only supposed to only pick one, Rangi laughed so hard she nearly fell over. The birthday girl must have told that story a dozen times over the course of the party. Sometimes she told it to brag about her new present. Sometimes she just wanted to enthuse about how adorably clueless her lover could be. But whatever else happened the bouquet never left her hand.

     Kyoshi knew she had to act. She knew first hand the feeling of joy crumbling like chalk between your fingers. That corrosive process where hindsight twisted your happiest memories into blades against your skin. She couldn’t, she wouldn’t, let that happen to Rangi. Even if she had never figured out exactly how to do that.

     It was an ungainly process, but Kyoshi wiggled around to face Rangi. She crossed her long legs beneath her and pulled the smaller woman into her lap. Rangi eagerly nuzzled into Kyoshi’s chest. For a long moment, the taller woman simply let her lover cry, doing nothing more than tenderly stroking her silky black hair. This was important, to simply be allowed to cry. Eventually though, far faster than Kyoshi would have recovered herself, Rangi found her voice.

     “And do you know the worst part?” The fire bender asked. “Now I have the chance to fix all of this. To try and make this up to you. And instead, I have to throw a party you’ll hate. I have to ruin your birthday. I feel like I’ve failed you.”

     Right then, right there something changed. Deep within Kyoshi’s heart, a line had been crossed. She straightened her back, pulling herself up to her full imposing height. She set her face into a mask of determination. Using a single finger beneath her lover’s chin, she lifted Rangi’s puffy, bronze eyes to her face.

     “Never,” she said quietly. Kyoshi leaned down and pressed her lips to Rangi’s. Unlike their earlier kiss, this one was gentle, chaste, and caring. And it was far shorter, only lasting long enough to share the feelings Kyoshi might not be able to put into words

     “The only thing I feel is worth celebrating about my life, is that I can share it with you,” Kyoshi spoke through the lump in her throat. “And the only gift I could ever want was another day with you.”

     Rangi gaped up at her. Before a wet but sparkling smile spread on her face. She giggled like a schoolgirl and brought up her hand to cup Kyoshi’s cheek.

     “You are so sweet. And so amazing,” She said. But then tweaked her lover’s nose. “And so wrong, you oaf.”

     Kyoshi gaped. Only a moment ago her lover had seemed hopelessly morose.

     “You’re so much better, worth so much more than you think,” Rangi said, with a hand on Kyoshi’s neck. She gently guided the taller woman down, until they were laying next to each other on the bed. “And I am going to make this up to you.”

     “If it’ll make you feel better,” Kyoshi wrapped her arms around Rangi once again. But the smaller woman didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she looked away and chewed her lip.

     “I actually had an idea about that. But I don’t think you’ll like it.” Rangi gave the tall woman a moment to respond. When she didn’t the fire bender continued. “What if we celebrate your birthday three times?”

     “You want to throw three parties?” Rangi was right on the money. Kyoshi was already not looking forward to being the center of attention for the party. She could hardly be expected to relish three.

     “Not exactly. Just hear me out.” Rangi propped herself up on her elbows as she spoke. “We have to have the big one on your actual birthday. I wish we didn’t have to, but our hands are tied. But I was thinking we could invite the people you actually like to stay for a more few days. And have the real party then.”

     “That,” Kyoshi paused. She thought about the party for Rangi. About being surrounded by the people she loved, and, for whatever reason, loved her back. “That actually sounds nice. But that’s only two.”

     “Well after that, I was thinking we could go somewhere. You, know just the two of us,” Rangi offered her cheeks coloring a little.

     “Somewhere? Like maybe Ember Island?” Kyoshi said with a lopsided grin. Over the years the fire islander had brought up the island several times. And each time she made it clear, with less and less subtlety, she wanted to take her girlfriend there. 

     “It’s your birthday, dummy. We could go wherever you want,” Rangi said. But after a moment she continued. “Though if you wanted a recommendation… Ember Island really is the best. The beaches are so beautiful. And the water is so clear. Oh, and since it's spring we might even see some seal turtles. The babies are so cute.”

     “You just want to see me in a swimsuit,” Kyoshi playfully accused her.

     “That’s not it!” Rangi lied through her teeth.

     “Fine, fine,” The Avatar said. “Honestly that sounds nice.”

     “Wow. I didn’t expect you to agree so quickly,” Rangi said. But a wicked grin spread across her face. She shuffled to put her face right in front of her lover’s. When she spoke again, her voice was like cinders, smokey and crackling. Kyoshi felt a leg casually draped across her waist. “And here I was, ready to have to convince you.”

     “You still could,” Koshi said breathlessly. Rangi chuckled and pulled herself upright, straddling the giant woman like a prized ostrich horse.

     “We’re kind of past that point,” The fire bender pointed out as she pulled the hairpin from her bun. The shiny, black locks swished free, settling to frame her bewitching face. Her bronze eyes shone down at Kyoshi. “Maybe we can do something else.”

     “Stance training?” Kyoshi had fallen for that too many times to not be suspicious. Especially after she had already seemingly dodged her girlfriend’s wrath once today.

     “Not exactly.” With a slow wave of her arm, Rangi gathered flames from the candles in the room. Then, with one final smirk, she closed her fist and left the two in darkness.

Chapter Text

     It was another day and night before the storm calmed. Even now, two days after Kyoshi’s return, the air was still thick with falling mist. But even under cover, there was no escaping the water. The weak, gray sunlight had been enough to turn the air into a thick soup. It clung to the skin, soaked into fabric, and threatened to turn paper into mush. It was only thanks to Jinpa, and generations of monks before him, that several priceless tomes and scrolls within the library were preserved. He had set up shop in the tightly packed room, converting a corner of it into a temporary office. All so that he could use his bending to push the wet air out, and keep the precious, dry air in. This effort was rewarded, not only with the safeguarding of precious wisdom but the one comfortable room within a dozen miles at least. 

     A room the monk had to himself. It wasn't out of malice, even if it did cause quite a bit of jealous grumblings. It was just a quirk of fate. The man who was best suited to keep the library dry could also do his work from within its walls. But not everyone was so lucky. Kyoshi, as per usual, was forced to go where the work was.

     The Avatar had ended up working in the stables. They had actually been one of the last things to be finished when the mansion was first built. The structure was monstrously oversized. Especially given that the easiest way for most people to get to Yakoya was by sea. But there was a logic behind it. It was built knowing that its future occupants would range from sky bison, to komodo rhinos, to ostrich horses. If it could be ridden, and it wasn't a dragon, there was a stall for it. 

     But they had also been one of the first things to fall into disrepair after Kyoshi left. There was just no point in putting in the effort to maintain them if they wouldn't be used. If one wanted to visit the Avatar it hardly made sense to go to where she wasn't. And if one wanted to avoid the Avatar, it was hardly logical to hide out in her home.

     But that wasn't going to be the case for much longer. In two months a deplorable number of nobles from across the globe would descend upon the mansion. And even the ones that came by boat would almost certainly bring a beast or two. They would need them for their entrances. Not all of them could have the grandest and most extravagant introduction. But none of them wanted to be the pauper among the princes.

     It was inevitable. Put two nobles in a room together and they turned into anglerpeacocks. Such was the ancient tradition known as never-ending one-ups-manship. Though Kyoshi preferred the term pissing contest. The kind she had decided very early on were not worthy of the Avatar's time. And yet, she somehow always ended up with wet boots.

     So Kyoshi was left with nothing to do but, literally, roll up her sleeves and get to work. The stables were a total disaster. There was a full inch of dirt and detritus on the floor. The walls were spackled, splattered, and stained with all manner of gunk. Tufts of dust and bison fur had gathered in the rafters. And the various brushes, files, clippers, and shears (at least the ones that hadn't mysteriously wandered off when most of the staff quit) were scattered hither and thither, not a single one left on their rack.

     It was a lot of work. Especially for just one person. But that didn't bother Kyoshi. No, she almost relished that. What bothered her was her working conditions. 

     Namely, there was just no escaping the humidity. Before she started she tried to figure out how to emulate Jinpa's technique. But her first attempt pointed out a crucial flaw. The amount of air she had to move guaranteed to throw dust and dirt all over what she had just cleaned. But she wasn't just an air bender. Fire could theoretically dry out the air as well. Though she would also roast herself alive. Not to mention what it would be like for poor, furry Yingyong. There was also the direct method. There was an advanced technique in southern style water bending, where water could be pulled directly from the air. Which would have been very useful, if Kyoshi knew how to do it. 

     But one crucial difference between Kyoshi's and her secretary's situations insured her discomfort. The library was small and cloistered deep within the mansion. While the stables were large, out in the open, and designed to facilitate airflow. However much of the damp, clammy air she got rid of there would always be more to take its place. So she could either try to stay comfortable, fail, and get nothing done. Or she could grit her teeth, bear the unpleasantness, and do what she needed to do.

     That wasn't to say she was completely out of options. They were just mundane and mostly sartorial. The befreckled woman had scrounged up the lightest, most breathable robe that was even close to the right size. One of her old ones, or so Kyoshi guessed by the way it actually kind of fit her. Though it admittedly was a little tight in unfortunate places, and the sleeves were far too short. Not that that mattered once they were rolled up. And for good measure, she used some string to hike up the hem to her knees. She also forewent her heavy boots in favor of squeezing her giant feet into a ratty pair of sandals. Lastly, she pulled her hair up into a messy imitation of Rangi's topknot.

     She idly wondered if any of her incoming guests would recognize her like this. Probably not. Most failed to even recognize her bare face. And even fewer could, or even wanted to, spot the Avatar behind the woman she was now. Sweating like a hippo cow, clad in ill-fitting, cheap, robes, and up to her elbows in grime. Then again she had yet to meet another woman to reach the full seven feet she had finally stopped growing at.

     What helped her cope more than anything though was the work. That, at least, had not changed from the old days. Though how Kyoshi worked certainly had. Air bending and dust stepping made cleaning the rafters a breeze, literally. Without even drawing her fans, the brown-haired woman could soak huge stretches of wall with soapy water. And when the water grew cold, she could easily reheat it with a few deep breaths. Not to mention how much of the dirt she cleaned was just that. Dirt. Sand and soil that could be effortlessly bent outside. Of course, she didn’t forgo actual cleaning tools. All the bending in the world couldn’t necessarily replace brooms, rags, brushes, mops, and old-fashioned elbow grease.

     But that didn’t bother her. In fact, Kyoshi found it rather pleasant. There was a catharsis in being able to see, feel, and smell her immediate effect on the world around her. There was something gratifying in watching a clean patch, become a clean wall, and finally become a clean stall. And there was something calming in the steady, uncomplicated nature of her task.

     It was almost meditative.

     A small grin formed on her freckled face as a thought occurred to her. Was it possible to accidentally commune with her past lives? Kyoshi had no clue. But it was an amusing idea. What a sight she would make. Knowing her luck this would be her introduction to Avatar Salai.

     A plaintive whine came from behind her. When Kyoshi looked back a green-eyed fox (not a falcon fox, or a porcufox, or even a fox gecko. Just a plain, bizarre fox) tilted his head at her. The tall woman had honestly not expected the strange creature to hang around for long after it had guided her to Yangchen. But when it did Rangi insisted on a proper name, instead of just calling him “fox.” So now his name was Lucha, and he apparently didn’t think it was possible. Or maybe he just wanted attention. It had after all been ten, maybe even fifteen, whole minutes since his human friend had scratched him behind the ear.

     “You don’t know it can’t happen,” Kyoshi chose to believe the former. “Besides it’s funny to think about what they’d say.”

     “Avatar Szeto would probably say I should focus on cleaning inside the mansion first.” Kyoshi had only spoken to the fire Avatar twice. The first time was mostly just to see if she could. The second was to seek his counsel when she had been asked to arbitrate a territorial dispute between the Fire Nation and the Northern Water tribe over a recently discovered island. He was every bit the bureaucrat he was known as, with his nasally voice, shrewd insights, and love of efficiency. Though the old man had far kinder eyes than his contemporaries. 

     Hopefully, he would understand her reasoning. Kyoshi had tried to begin in the mansion proper. But she ran into a recurring problem. Everywhere the giant woman set up shop, a staff member mysteriously seemed to materialize. Whether it was in a bedroom, a hallway, an office, or a lounge, as soon as she got started someone, usually Fu, would interrupt her. They offered, even insisted, that the tall woman leave whatever work she was doing to them. It seemed their consciences couldn't allow the Avatar to sully her mighty hands with such lowly work. Even if it was lowly work she had already done hundreds of times. So she stuck to the stables. Where she’d be out of sight, and give everyone time to wrap their minds around the concept. Plus it would prevent her from sticking her humongous foot in her stupid mouth in her frustration.

     “Avatar Yangchen would probably say she was proud of my humility.” Whether or not the nomadic woman meant it was another matter. When the earth and air Avatars spoke, Yangchen was always polite, kind, and supportive. But there was steel beneath her silk. There was a distance between the two.

     Kyoshi could only assume there was something about her that irked Yangchen. Perhaps she didn’t think much of the bumbling Avatar who succeeded more often than not only through the skill and knowledge of her friends. Or maybe it had something to do with her lack of tact and wisdom. Though it also could just be that the teenager had simply made a poor first impression, blubbering like an infant and being unable to tell her mother from her own past life. But it could also be because of any number of Kyoshi’s faults. Or it was all in her head. She once overheard Master Amak giving a piece of advice to Yun. Remain still and calm, and the only thing your foe will see is his own reflection.

     “And Kuruk,” Kyoshi said with a crude grin, “Would say I should at least have Rangi here with me.”

     “Well, I’m here now so top talking to yourself, oaf.”

     Kyoshi squeaked in surprise and whirled to face the woman behind her. But that proved to be a poor choice. The panicked woman was still surrounded by the tools of her first trade. Her right foot landed in her mop bucket. Her left slipped on a soaked sponge with enough force to snap the sandal’s strap from its sole. Purely on instinct, she scrambled to keep her feet beneath her. In an uncoordinated flailing dance, she fell out of the stall she had been cleaning. Eventually, the transitory equilibrium broke, and her backside struck the earth. A loud crack rang through the air.

     “Are you all right?” Jinpa asked, looking down at her with genuine concern. Before answering Kyoshi reached beneath her and pulled a broken fragment of broom handle from beneath her. She held it up for her secretary and her lover to see.

     “I’m fine,” Kyoshi said dismissively. That was only partially true. Regardless of what Rangi might say, the tall woman didn’t actually fall all that often. After all, she had a remarkably sturdy foundation. Kyoshi considered it the trade-off for having such a hard time finding shoes that fit. But her sheer size ensured that when she did fall, it was with a great deal of force. And this time all that force had been focused squarely on her rump. She would almost certainly have a pair of very embarrassing bruises after this. And once they were alone, Rangi was almost certainly going to scold her for damaging yet another of her favorite body parts.

     “Spirits, you are filthy.” For now, though it seemed the fire bender was more upset by her messiness than her clumsiness. Or maybe Rangi was just caught off guard seeing her normally fastidiously clean girlfriend like this.

     “You don’t clean and stay clean,” Kyoshi said defensively, “ Lady Sei’nak- AAGH!”

     When she had fallen, Lucha had been forced to leap out of her way. But that gave him a golden opportunity. In a flash, he vaulted over Kyoshi’s shoulder and dived into her lap. After a little wriggling from both parties, he managed to get comfy. He curled up against her, like a fuzzy coal oven.

     “Well, I guess I’m taking a break,” Kyoshi said, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. She glared at the half-cleaned stall next to her, vowing to be back and finish what she started. Still, she couldn’t help but reach her free hand down to stroke the fox along his spine. “What’s up?”

     “Before we can really do anything else we need to know how many people we’re dealing with,” Rangi explained, brandishing a clipboard and a twine-wrapped pencil. She used a foot to pull over a stool and sat in front of Kyoshi. The look she gave the floor made it clear that there was no way she was dirtying her uniform. “And for that, we need a guest list.”

     “What do you need me for?” Kyoshi asked. As far as she was concerned the two of them were far more qualified to pick which noble did or didn’t qualify for a party with the Avatar.

     “Well it would be good for you to know who all is coming,” Jinpa explained. He seemed less bothered by the state of the floor as he sat down. Though he did use his bending to clear away a patch of dust. “Plus, we need to know who you want there.”

     “I’m going to assume the two of us?” Rangi asked rhetorically. She was already writing their names on the clipboard.

     “Absolutely. You’re the ones making me go through with this. So you two are going to have to suffer along with me.” The Avatar knew that was a hollow threat. Jinpa genuinely enjoyed large gatherings and loved meeting new people. And Rangi had no trouble reintegrating into the upper class.

     “Aww, did you hear that buddy?” Jinpa leaned to look behind Kyoshi as he spoke. “I think she’s finally starting to like me.”

     For the rest of her life, Kyoshi would wonder how an eleven-ton bison with only five legs had managed to sneak up on her. But somehow Yingyong had done just that, as the tall woman only realized he was behind her when she felt his enormous, slippery tongue on the back of her neck. Slowly, lovingly, it crept up lathering her head in spit. The pressure undid her bun, ensuring that when he pulled back, the full length of her bison saliva-coated hair flopped onto her shoulders and back. Except for a single gooey tress that flipped forward and smacked her between the eyes. 

     “I love you too, Yingyong,” Kyoshi said while fighting the urge to shudder. Gingerly, she pinched the slimy wad of hair in her face and carefully placed it back among the rest of her drenched locks.

     “At least the back of your head is clean,” The monk said, almost laughing. He at least had the good grace to cover his cheek splitting-smile with one hand. The tall woman took a long breath, in and out, before she spoke again.

     “I disagree,” Kyoshi said, her voice the driest thing about her at that moment. With both scarred hands she reached back and began wringing the viscous spit from her long hair. As she did that, she did her best to ignore the horrific moist feeling spreading along her back. She cursed herself for wearing the thin, old robe. Internally at least. Kyoshi was a little concerned something other than words might come out of her mouth if she opened it again.

     “I told you,” Rangi said, nonchalantly, “You need to use a hairpin if you want your hair to stay in a bun. Now, both of you focus. We need to get this done today. Who else, Kyoshi?”

     “I guess,” As the soon-to-be-birthday girl spoke she leaned over to grab a rag and dry her hands and hair. Lucha whined in protest of being jostled, but she ignored him. If he wanted to use her as a bed, he had to be ready to deal with some movement. “Your mother and Sifu Atuat. But only if Ataut says she is well enough to travel. And if Hei-Ran says she never wants to set foot in this place again I’ll understand. We can go visit them after this if that’s easier.”

     Rangi’s bronze eyes widened slightly. Which made Kyoshi roll her green ones.

     “What?” The taller woman asked.

     “What do you mean “what?” Her lover responded.

     “I know that face,” Kyoshi explained. “What unspoken rule am I breaking now?”

     “None,” Rangi said. “It’s just… Well, the rule is generally that power doesn’t travel. So by offering to visit her-”

     “Can’t I just be nice to your mom?” The Avatar said, exasperated. 

     “Obviously you can,” The captain responded, irritation glinting in her eyes. “Mother isn’t going to read into every little thing you do like you’re a rival noble. I just was a little surprised. That’s all. By all means, be as nice as you want.”

     “Is this the part where I step in?” Jinpa asked calmly. “Or do I wait for a few more back-and-forths?”

     Both women shot the poor monk a dirty look. But Rangi added two more names to her list.

     “That’s five. Who else?” She said, her vexation fading quickly.

     “There’s Wong, Kirima, and Lao Ge,” Kyoshi answered, also quickly moving on.

     Rangi sighed heavily. But wrote the daofei’s names anyway.

     “They're going to steal everything that isn’t nailed down.” When she spoke her tone was one of beleaguered inevitability.

     “That’s not true,” Kyoshi protested innocently.

     “You’re right,” Rangi said, her face radiating the sort of weary energy that only years of knowing The Flying Opera Company could foster. "They're going to steal the nails too."

     "I'm their sworn sister. They won't steal from me," As the dirt-coated woman spoke she scratched Lucha behind the ear. Just the way the fox liked her too.

     "What about your guests?" Jinpa asked. But strangely his boss didn’t seem to hear him. Kyoshi didn’t speak to answer his question. In fact, she didn’t even look up from Lucha. It was as though petting her furry friend required all her concentration.

     “Ah,” Jinpa said, uncomfortable with the realization. “That’s your plan.”

     Rangi groaned and stared up at the ceiling. Before glaring at her girlfriend. It wasn’t that Wong and Kirima weren’t her friends. She could even see past Lao Ge’s unsavory exploits. But in her heart of hearts, the fire bender was a worrier. And their brothers and sister had a habit of upending delicate situations. There weren’t many people who could manage to get banned from an air temple. And yet the three daofei were no longer allowed in the eastern one without the Avatar’s supervision. Kyoshi knew she would have to ease Rangi into this.

     “If it helps just think of it as the price for their services. They’ll be able to spot trouble better than any guards we could hire.” The promise of additional security was a good angle. It was practically crococat nip to a bodyguard.

     “That’s because they’ll be the trouble,” Rangi sighed. But then she took a deep breath through her nose and spoke firmly. “Fine. But they can’t steal from anyone inside the mansion. And before they pinch anything too big they have to clear it with me. Sworn siblings or not, if they cause an international incident on your birthday I’m throwing them in a volcano. I don’t care how many thunderbolts or flying knives they threaten me with.”

     “That’s fair,” Kyoshi agreed. 

     “And Lao Ge can’t work at all,” Rangi said with far more venom drenched into her voice.

     “He won’t.” The tall woman’s tone was suddenly grave. That was a certainty. Kyoshi and her elderly sifu had reached an understanding. Skilled as Lao Ge was he was no match for a fully realized Avatar. So he kept his activities in line with her wishes. After all, both of them could agree some men needed to be removed from the world. The ancient assassin just thought there were more than his student did. So for the sake of the greater good, he always sought her dispensation before taking a life.

     The three stayed silent for a moment. The moment of tension needed to pass. But after a moment it did. 

     “Okay, who else?” Jinpa asked. His tranquil voice got them back on track. This had become one of his many unofficial duties over the years. In the chaos of the Avatar’s life, the tattooless monk would remain in the eye of the storm. Always ready to step in or pull his friends out. Whichever the situation called for.

     Before she responded, Kyoshi took a second to think. “Nyahitha. But I don’t know if he’ll actually come.”

     “He might,” Rangi said, once more adding a name to her list. “We’ll just need to make sure he and Mother aren’t sitting next to each other.” Hei-Ran had at least partially forgiven the fallen sage after learning the truth about Kuruk’s spirit hunts. But there was still a great deal of bad blood between them. There was truly no grudge like a Fire Nation grudge. “Who else?”

     “Your grandparents?” The tall woman asked her lover. “I don’t know if I’m supposed to or not. But they are sending us their gardeners. So-”

     “That would be great,” The fire bender said with a brilliant smile. She seemed genuinely excited by the prospect. “I’m sure they’d love to meet you. Anyone else?”

     “I think,” Kyoshi said, her face flushing. “I think that’s it.” She remembered Rangi’s twentieth birthday. Even with some of the guests unable to make it to the new location in time, it was still over twice as large. The brunette wanted to give herself a break. After all, she was an orphan and her lover was from a large family. But really it was just that Rangi was better at making friends. And keeping them.

     “Stop,” Rangi said sternly. “There’s nothing wrong with you for only having a few close friends.”

     “It’s not about quantity. It’s about the quality of the connections you share with the people you love. And your’s are incredibly deep and strong,” Jinpa added.

     Kyoshi sighed. “Will you two ever just let me feel bad about something?”

     “No,” They said in unison.

     There was a moment of somber silence before the three smiled at each other. Three laughs filled the air. Jinpa’s was a light chortle that sounded like it belonged to a man twice his age. Rangi’s was vivacious and throaty, but it was kept under control. If she laughed too hard she would snort like a pig chicken, much to her eternal embarrassment. Kyoshi’s came out as a nearly silent chuckle, only audible thanks to her contralto voice’s ability to cut through the air. It took a minute for the three of them to regain their composure. But eventually, Rangi found her voice again.

     “Well,” The captain said with a smile still on her face. “That gets us to eleven. Now for the hard part.”

     “Big fish first?” Jinpa asked her.

     “Is it offensive if I start with the Water Tribe after that?” Rangi asked, only half-jokingly. The monk offered a shrug before he answered.

     “They’re not here,” His voice was unconcerned and calm.

     “Then I’m going to say we start with the northern chief.” The fire bender flipped to a new page on her clipboard and began writing again. Kyoshi’s chamberlain leaned balancing himself with his hands stretched out behind them. His bald head went even further back. He stared at a nondescript part of the recently cleaned ceiling as he spoke.

     “That’s him, his wife, and three children,” Jinpa recited as though he was reading from a book. “Plus his new daughter-in-law. And I’m going to say, two adjutants or advisors.”

     “So that’s eight for him,” Rangi made a note before flipping to a different page. “My guess is probably twenty for his honor guard.”

     “Maybe only ten,” Jinpa countered. “He’ll have to move fast to get here in time. Plus he’s a master water bender with an ego to match. I doubt he’ll feel threatened in the open ocean.”

     “Fair enough,” Rangi crossed out her note and before writing again. “So ten guards and probably fifteen sailors and other servants.”

     Kyoshi’s mossy green eyes nearly bugged out of her head. One guest had tripled the size of the party. It was only then that the full magnitude of the situation hit her. The teenage Avatar froze up for a moment. And would have likely stayed frozen for much longer if a wet nose hadn’t pressed against her hand. Even if she was filled with an ever-growing, icy dread Lucha still expected to be petted.

     “The guards and support staff won’t be guests at the party per se,” Rangi explained. Kyoshi wasn’t sure if her girlfriend was reading her face or her mind. Her guess was the latter given that the fire bender’s bronze eyes never left her clipboard. “We just need to make sure we’ve got enough open space for their camps.”

     “We should still have some food and drink for them,” Jinpa pointed out.

     “On the day of sure,” Rangi said a little testily. “But they’ll need to take care of themselves like adults the rest of the time. Now, what about the southern chief?”

     And so it went. The two of them went back and forth over and over again. They slowly worked their way down through the aristocracy of the known world. They discussed who would show up in person (like Governor Te or the Beifongs) and who would simply send a representative (like The Firelord and The Earth King.) They guessed as to who would come by land and who would have to come by sea. They even laid out who would need to be kept away from whom in order to ensure the peace. And for each guest Jinpa listed which wives, husbands, children, pupils, and secret lovers would be brought and which ones would likely be left behind. Somehow he had all of that memorized. Then Rangi would puzzle out who else would be brought along, whether for security or for some other service. And as they talked, page after page was filled with details.

     Kyoshi for her part just tried to absorb what she could. But there was no way she would be able to remember even a third of what was said. What she did get was that a lot of very powerful people would be breathing down her neck very soon. But she already knew that. So her mind began to wander. She smiled at the adorable way Lucha rolled over in his sleep when his human friend began to rub his belly. She marveled at and was a little disconcerted by, Jinpa’s encyclopedic knowledge of every noble of any note. She was enraptured at the way Rangi twirled the pencil with her nimble fingers while she thought. All while occasionally glaring at the patches of dirt that remained around the stable.

     It was almost a full hour later before things finally wrapped up. After much debate, Rangi and Jinpa finally decided that a merchant Kyoshi had never heard of, but was supposedly of growing import, merited an invitation. With that, the guest list topped out above five hundred. Far more than any previous event the mansion had hosted. But it was designed with this sort of thing in mind. The Avatar herself had also been prepared for this sort of thing as well. The only problem was she had been taught how to cook, and clean, and serve for parties like this. The thought of playing host for so many people filled her with more and more apprehension. But she had to push that thought to the back of her head. There was nothing she could do about that now.

     “I think that’s it,” Jinpa said cheerily. He stood up and dusted himself off, before taking the clipboard from his black-haired compatriot. “I’ll check this against my records to make sure we didn’t forget anyone. Give me two hours. Meet you in the library to write the actual invitations?”

     “We’ll see you there,” Rangi assured him. The monk offered a quick set of bows before walking back towards the estate. Reading as he went.

     “We?” Kyoshi asked her girlfriend.

     “Yes we,” The captain entered lecture mode. “You have to be a part of this too. You can let her up now Lucha.” 

     The fox yawned in acknowledgment and slunk out of Kyoshi’s lap. He padded over to Rangi and happily wove between her legs.

     “Traitor,” Kyoshi said, glaring at her animal guide. Still, she took the opportunity to stand up. Though her long legs were a little wobbly. The prickly sensation of sleep sapped them of their strength.

     “Don’t listen to her. You’re a good boy,” The shorter woman reached down to gently scratch his fuzzy, orange head. “I think I'll scrounge us up some lunch. Can I assume you didn't eat breakfast?”

     “I wasn’t hungry,” The gigantic woman protested. But she couldn’t stop the flush from creeping up her cheeks.

     “Of course,” Rangi said with a huff. “You’re getting a double portion then. And you’re eating it in front of me. Now go take a bath.”

     “But…” Kyoshi grimaced and glanced at the half-clean stall. That would be bothering her all day. But she wasn’t sure exactly why or how to put that concern into words.

     “Fine, finish up,” Fortunately her lover could understand her, better than she understood herself. “But don’t take too long.”

     The Avatar’s freckled face split into a massive, goofy grin. She was lucky beyond words to have a woman like Rangi in her life. But her grin turned devilish when she spoke again.

     “Can I at least get a hug?” Kyoshi asked sweetly.

     “Go take a bath first,” Rangi said, running an analytical eye over the filthy woman in front of her.

     “Oh come on,” The taller woman pouted and took a step forward. “Don’t you love me?”

     “Of course I do,” The fire bender protested. “But I just polished my armor this morning!”

     “You polish your armor every morning,” Kyoshi pointed out. That was a bit of an exaggeration. It was really more like every three days or so. But the exaggeration only emboldened the brown-haired woman. She held out her long arms and continued her advance. 

     “NOOOOO!” Rangi turned and sprinted at full speed back towards the mansion. Lucha, his vulpine instincts kicking in, was hot on her heels. Kyoshi didn’t get many opportunities to turn the tables on her lover. But when she did, she liked to give as good as she got.

     The woman chuckled. But that only lasted for a moment. She cracked her knuckles and popped the joints in her neck. Then she turned to face the dirt she had left behind, a manic, wolfish smile on her face. 

     “Now where were we?”

…

     Moving into the library for her afternoon assignment was a mixed bag for Kyoshi. On the one hand, it was far more comfortable. And, no offense to Yingyong and Lucha, the company was a lot better. But on the other, moving the table they needed into the library was a pain. It barely fit through the door and they had to rearrange three bookshelves to make the room they needed. And they mostly ended up meaning Kyoshi. It was also more than a little cramped once they were all settled. But the giant woman was used to that. 

     The three of them devised a neat little system to handle all the invitations. Which was definitely needed given the number they had to write. It started with Kyoshi. She scribbled the first draft, working her way down the list of guests in front of her. Then it went to Rangi. With some red ink, she corrected her girlfriend's mistakes, both grammatical and etiquette-related. And lastly, it went to Jinpa. The monk had the best calligraphy of the three. He transcribed Kyoshi's edited words into a letter worthy of the Avatar. Then after it dried, he would tightly roll it up and bind it with a length of forest green ribbon.

     It was slow and bitter work. But one by one a basket was filled with scrolls. 

     "How are there still ten left?" Kyoshi asked in despair. She set down her pencil and shook her scarred right hand desperate to get some feeling back. It had started cramping up fifteen invites in. Now it felt as numb as when she got shot by lighting.

     "Just push through," Rangi gently scolded. "We're almost done."

     "I still don't understand why you needed me for this," Kyoshi muttered. Her girlfriend sighed but didn't look up from her current letter.

     "I already told you," She explained irritably. "It'll be best if the invitations sound like they're from you personally. And the easiest way for that to happen is to write them yourself."

     Kyoshi was unconvinced. She glowered at the rest of the names on the guest list.

     "Besides," Rangi went on, "There's a school of thought that a warrior should practice various arts. It helps to refine your mind and strengthen your soul."

     The tall woman gave her a look of disbelief. Was her girlfriend really trying to convince her that mindlessly writing a hundred minor variations of the same note as some sort of self-improvement exercise? But as she looked at her lover Kyoshi noticed something odd. Rangi was pointedly not looking at her as she spoke. In fact, she and Jinpa were staring overly intently at the papers in front of them. The looks on their faces were strained. It was almost as if…

     "You're lying!" Kyoshi shouted indignantly. 

     "Don't be ridiculous," Rangi said, her pale cheeks coloring slightly.

     "Then look me in the eye and say it," Kyoshi said, her voice strained. Her lover had never lied to her before. Whatever the reason it stung. Rangi closed her eyes and took a moment to collect her thoughts.

     "Fine. You win. We lied," Rangi spoke without really opening her mouth. "I'm sorry." She sounded genuine at least.

     "Why?" Kyoshi said, more than baffled. She was even more lost than when they were going through all the nobles they had to invite.

     "Because look at this!" Her bodyguard brandished the last letter she corrected. She ran a slender finger along the illegible scrawlings Kyoshi had made. "Your handwriting is atrocious! How is anyone supposed to read this, you oaf!? So yes, we lied to trick you into getting some practice."

     "What does that matter?" Kyoshi asked.

     "You're the Avatar!" Rangi said sternly.

     "So?"

     "So you're supposed to preserve your wisdom for future generations, stupid!" The fire bender shouted.

     The befreckled woman felt her jaw drop. Was Rangi being serious? She expected her, Avatar Rocks-For-Brains, to have some sort of grand knowledge to pass on. Kyoshi had the utmost respect for her girlfriend. But at that moment she sincerely wondered if she got hit on her head or something. She could only guess what had gotten into her. Unless…

     "I'm not Yangchen," The earth Avatar said. "Or Szeto."

     "That's not the point," The fire bender retorted.

     "No actually. That is the point." Both women turned their attention to Jinpa when he spoke. For Rangi, it was as easy as turning her black-haired head. But Kyoshi was forced to lean forward to try and get a proper view. Strangely though, once he had their attention he didn't keep speaking. Instead, he began trying to wiggle his chair around the table. But he seemed to decide that was too much work. So he carefully cleared a spot on the table and sat cross-legged on top of it. Only once he was settled did Kyoshi realize why he had done that. The tattooless monk wanted to be able to talk to her directly.

     "When you first arrived at the Southern Air Temple I had a lot of questions." Kyoshi suspected that was an understatement. When the wrong person, not even the right gender, shows up on a stolen sky bison claiming to be the Avatar, that could cause more than some confusion. She could only imagine how many questions that raised. "There was just so much about the nature of the Avatar I just didn't know. So I began researching."

     Kyoshi bitterly wondered if there was anyone who didn't know more about being the Avatar than she did. But she held her tongue. 

     "But there was one question that seemingly had no good answer," Jinpa explained calmly. "Why was there an Avatar cycle? Why did their spirit need to rotate through the four nations? The only answer I found was that it was for the sake of balance. So no one nation would rise above the others. But that felt… incomplete. So I kept thinking. Kept meditating. And most importantly, I kept watching you."

     "Watching me?" Kyoshi knew she shouldn't have been surprised. Watching her was practically part of his job. Her secretary watched her on behalf of Rangi to make sure the giant oaf was taking care of herself. And he watched on behalf of the White Lotus, making sure the Avatar was doing her job. But this felt like something different.

     "Yes. I needed to understand you. How you saw the world and your Avatar duties. And that's when it hit me," Jinpa's face lit up subtly. Even the memory of his revelation was enough to excite him again. "Perspective. It was your perspective on the world that truly changed between lifetimes, more than anything else. Ultimately, I think that's all wisdom really is. The ability to put your perspective into the context of the larger world. And to understand when others do the same. That is why you have been reborn countless times, each in a different set of circumstances. So that each time you can put the world into that new perspective."

     "I," Kyoshi paused. She was a little overwhelmed by all of this. The idea that Jinpa had given this so much thought was humbling. But she wasn't convinced he was right. "I'm still just me. I'm not special. Even as an Avatar."

     Jinpa frowned. His grey eyes turned soft then hard then soft again as he thought through what to say next.

     "Do you know why I work as your chamberlain?" He eventually asked. It was a strange sight. Normally the air bender was laid-back. He remained loose and flexible, embodying the negative jing that so defined his element. But now he was straight-backed with a determined visage. He looked like he was ready to start chucking rocks around.

     "Because you pai sho friends told you too?" Even if she wouldn't admit it, seeing Jinpa like this unsettled her.

     "No," He shook his bald head. "They actually told me to step down. They thought it would be better for you to have someone older, more venerable, by your side."

     "What!?" The tall woman snarled. "They can't do that! You're my friend!" A flip was switched somewhere inside Kyoshi. So many people had already been taken from her, she couldn't let that happen to him too. But Jinpa didn't share her outrage. In fact, he seemed to find the display equal parts amusing and heartwarming.

     "Don't worry," He gently waved her down. "This was actually years ago. It took some doing but I managed to convince them that would be your exact reaction. But that work was worth it. Do you know why?"

     The brown-haired bender shook her head. She didn't want to guess. It seemed like the monk had something he wanted to say. So she would let him speak his peace.

     "Because I believe in you," Jinpa said with a warm smile. "You are going to change this world for the better. And part of that is the wisdom you, and really only you can leave behind. Because you, Avatar Kyoshi, are unafraid to face the truth."

     "So were my past lives," Kyoshi retorted, blushing slightly. The monk didn't respond immediately. He looked down at his left hand and ran his right thumb along its bare back.

     "The previous Avatars confronted chaos, imbalance, and tyranny," Jinpa said, his voice all but swallowed by the papers around them. "But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the ugly truths that underpin our world. The ones most of us make it through our entire lives without ever really acknowledging. I think you'll find that you already have the strength to face them."

     Kyoshi couldn't move. She couldn't speak. All she could do was look at her friend's round face. And she saw it on his features. He was like Rangi, a true believer. And like her, he wasn't simply blindly following the Avatar. He truly deeply believed in her. In Kyoshi.

     Which made what she had to say so much harder. Too painful to even force the words out. He was wrong. Sure what he said was true in a way. Kyoshi had faced many hard truths in her life so far. But the hardest one, the one that truly mattered, was that she could do very little to fight them. For all her power she was still just one woman. Not even that, she was just a girl stumbling blindly. Most of the time she just hoped she wasn't making things worse. But she couldn’t say that. Not here.

     “I know I’m not going to convince you right here, right now,” He said, offering her a warm smile. “But please remember what I said. At some point, there will be something that only you can see. Something that only you could know. Something you wish the rest of the world knew too. And when you do, I hope you’ll realize that you’re not crazy. That your view has value. And I hope you’ll write it down.”

     Kyoshi couldn’t even look at him anymore. She cast her green eyes down at the paper in front of her. That look of hope was too much to bear. But she couldn’t just trample it. Even if he was wrong, she couldn’t do that to her friend. So instead she picked up her brush and got back to work.

     As they resumed their writing, the tall woman didn’t speak. And she kept her eyes to herself as much as possible. It hurt to ignore Jinpa and Rangi. But it was better than seeing the disappointment that was surely in their eyes. Or letting them pick this thread up again. It was best forgotten. And yet something stuck with her. Every time Kyoshi pushed what the nomad had said into the back of her mind, it crept back. It wormed its way back to the forefront. And confronted her with the same question over and over again.

     What do I know?

…

     The office was perhaps the site of the greatest change after the mansion had changed hands. Under Jianzhu it had been stuffed to the gills. Dozens of bookshelves and cabinets had lined the walls. Each stacked high with scrolls, books, loose papers, and knick-knacks of all kinds. Any stretch of wall that was left exposed was covered in paintings or tapestries. And in the center of it all was the monstrously large, marble-topped desk. All around its sides were intricate, jade etchings and delicate, gold filigree. It was supposedly a gift from the Earth King himself. When Kyoshi saw it for the first time after the old sage had been killed she realized exactly what it was. A throne. Just a throne you sat behind. 

     Now though that was all gone. When the room became the Avatar’s she had gutted it. The shelves had been chopped into kindling. The paper goods had been moved to the library, while the trinkets had been left in Yakoya for the locals to sell at their leisure. The artwork had either been moved elsewhere in the mansion or handed over to The Flying Opera Company for pawning. And the grand desk had been chucked into the sea, a better burial than it deserved. The Earth King would probably be mad if he found out, but that hardly mattered to her. At least not at that moment.

     Now the room was decidedly bare. The white walls left clear save for a single cupboard of supplies. And the new desk was practically a mockery of its predecessor. It was decidedly plain and small, constructed from local, cheap timber. If you looked closely it was easy to see that the man who had made it was more used to working on ships than furniture. There was a subtle curve to it and it always wobbled without some parchment stuffed under one or more of its feet. But it did what it had to. And it matched the stiff, cushionless, high-back chairs behind and in front of it.

     But the biggest difference was the lighting. Jianzhu had a preference for oil lamps. He would even keep the curtains drawn during the day just to keep them lit. But the lamps had been cleared away along with everything else. But Kyoshi could make her own light when needed. She was also more than willing to work by sun, moon, or star light. And if all else failed there were candles. Or rather candle stubs. Scavenging them had been a habit of her's in her younger days. They were only good for a half-hour of light, an hour at most. But that was all the little orphan girl needed. Just a little extra light to scrounge by after the rest of the town had gone to sleep. Plus they were useful for getting crappy kindling to catch fire. But even after she moved into the mansion she made sure to keep a few handy. After all, it was only in the dead of night that it felt safe to read her mother's journal. 

     And even now Kyoshi kept a few in the top left drawer of her desk. Though at the moment there was also one spluttering in the black iron dish to her left. It had to have been at least the fourth one she had lit so far. But as Kyoshi cast her green eyes along the mass of crumpled papers piled around her current draft she was willing to guess she was on the seventh or eighth. 

     The tall woman was at a loss. She had no idea why this was so hard. The first thing she wrote had only taken her two attempts to get right. But she had lost count of how many drafts deep she was on her second. 

     Though that was not completely true. Kyoshi had some ideas. They just weren’t pleasant to think about.

     She laid down the brush she was using and rubbed her scarred hands together. Part of her wanted to crack her knuckles, but breaking the silence in her office seemed uncalled for. So instead she gently kneaded the sore joints in her right hand with her left. Her gaze drifted to her inkstone. It was almost empty. If she didn’t get a good version soon she would need to refill it, again.

     But before she could begin reading her work the door to her office cracked open. The first thing that came through was light. The small, ivory flames danced along a slender finger. But they cast off so much light Kyoshi was forced to squint. It took her eyes several seconds to adjust after spending so much time in a dark room where the slowly dying candles were putting out more smoke than light. But she kept her eyes open. This was a sight worth a few spots in her vision.

     “There you are,” Rangi’s voice was a mixture of relief and irritation. The fire islander was dressed in a house robe thrown hastily over her sleepwear. The knot was loose and messy, only barely holding the front closed. Her inky black hung freely down around her shoulders. As she spoke the tension drained from her form as she flipped from bodyguard to girlfriend mode. It was only as Kyoshi took in her state that she realized how late it must be. “You had me worried.”

     “I’m sorry,” Kyoshi said, a blush spreading beneath her freckles. Rangi strode across the room towards her. On instinct covered the paper in front of her. It wasn’t ready to be read yet. But even as big as the gigantic woman’s hands were they couldn’t cover a whole page completely. All they really did was draw her lover’s bronze eyes towards the thing she wanted to hide.

     The brown-haired woman kept her gaze down. She was ready for the teasing. Some snarky comment along the lines of: I thought you had done enough writing today? But it didn’t come. Instead, she felt a powerful arm gently snake around her shoulders. The flames in Rangi’s right hand faded and instead the candle grew brighter and whiter. Now freed the other arm wrapped across the taller woman’s collarbone. Tenderly but insistently, Kyoshi was pulled into a hug. 

     “You’re writing a letter?” Rangi asked quietly. 

     “Two,” Kyoshi explained, wiggling her arm until she could free it enough to wrap around her lover’s waist. “The first one,” she gestured at a solitary scroll that had been set aside earlier. “Is for Ummi’s family.”

     “Ummi?” Rangi asked. Before Kyoshi answered she took a moment to think. She never thought to ask if her girlfriend knew all the details about her mother’s and the previous Avatar’s relationship. Or how she would react to the news about Ummi if she did. But she would trust Rangi and hang the consequences. 

     “She was Kuruk’s betrothed,” The Avatar explained somberly. “On the night of their wedding, she was... taken by a spirit. Kuruk spent the rest of his life trying to save her. She was the great love of his life. I think he even confided in her the truth about his spirit hunts. But they were married in the North and she was from the South. So I don’t know if her family ever really knew what happened to her. Or why. Or that she wasn’t just some passing fancy for Kuruk. Just how much he loved her.”

     As Kyoshi spoke she felt Rangi’s arms tighten around her. The shorter woman’s breathing deepened. She let the silence linger for a moment before she spoke. 

     “This is a kind thing you’re doing,” Her raspy voice was a strange mixture of emotions. The story of the Avatar losing the love of his life struck a chord within her. But despite the sadness, there was also a great deal of pride for her girlfriend.

     “The kind thing would be to do this in person,” Kyoshi muttered. “I was just at the south pole.” Much to her surprise, this elicited a chuckle from Rangi.

     “Sometimes I think you’re literally too good to be true,” The fire bender said, her smile evident in her voice. “Like any moment now I’m just going to wake up and realize I dreamed you up.”

     “R-Rangi,” Kyoshi whined in protest. Her free hand covered her burning face out of desperation. But that only brought on a new wave of giggles. But it was only for a moment. 

     “Alright,” Rangi said once she had stopped laughing. “I’ll stop for now. Who’s this one for. It looks like it’s giving you some trouble.”

     In the span of three sentences, the tall woman went from embarrassed, to relieved, to anxious. She wanted to take a second before she answered. But her mouth had other ideas.

     “It’s for,” Kyoshi paused for a moment. “Kuruk’s family. I… They were close when he was younger, but they drifted apart. He never got the chance to tell them the truth. If he even wanted them to know. But they should know the truth. About who he was, and what he did. He… He shouldn’t have to be remembered as the worst Avatar. Not by them.”

     “You’re not the worst Avatar either,” Rangi said quickly. “You know that, don’t you?”

     Kyoshi didn’t answer. She just stared down at the letter before her. At least she did for a moment. But a hand found her chin and pulled her gaze upwards and away. Rangi forced her to look into her blazing, amber eyes. 

     “Say it.” Her voice was hushed but fierce. It offered no escape but to give in to her demands.

     “I’m not the worst Avatar,” Kyoshi whispered.

     The second the words left her mouth Rangi rushed forward. Their lips crashed together with tremendous force. But underneath the surface was a tenderness. Kyoshi pressed herself eagerly back into the kiss, desperate for her lover’s warmth. But it only lasted a few seconds before the captain pulled back. 

     “And one of these days I’m going to get you to believe it,” Rangi huffed. She, reluctantly,  pulled away from Kyoshi and walked back to the door. She spoke without looking back at the taller woman. “Finish up. I’ll be waiting for you.”

     “You don’t have to,” Kyoshi said, missing Rangi before she was even truly gone.

     “But I’m going to,” The black-haired woman turned to look back at her. Her face was filled with a dozen warring emotions. “I love you, Kyoshi. I love you so much.”

     “I love you too,” Kyoshi offered a weak smile. She held it until Rangi shut the door. But it dropped once she was alone. The candle slowly faded back to a smokey orange. With a deep sigh she looked back at the paper she had worked on and began to read.

To Nolo, Sirah, Vanih, Hovreq, and the rest of your family:

You don’t know me, but you’ve probably heard of me. I’m your son’s successor. I’m not sure if this letter will help you. Or if you’d prefer to never hear from me, or even think about me. But there are some things I think you should know. Things I want you to know.

Part of being the Avatar is the ability to speak with your past lives. And Kuruk has served as my guide and mentor.

Please understand this. Your son, your brother, was not just some carousing lout. In his lifetime several spirits were corrupted. Yangchen had brokered many agreements between them and humans. But the humans went back on their word. And Kuruk was left to deal with the spirit’s wrath. But confronting dark spirits, even in victory, comes with a cost. Little by little Kuruk traded away his own life, to protect people from their own shortsighted mistakes and greed.

He kept it a secret to keep his friends safe. He knew that they would want to help him. And he knew what that would cost them. So he suffered alone. And lived as much as he could, while he could.

So please forgive him. Please think well of him.

Kyoshi

     The candle finally went out, its wick spent. Kyoshi buried her face in her hands. One day this would be her legacy as well. Some poor kid in the fire nation would be left trying to justify her actions. If they even could. If there was anyone left to write to.

     “Don’t mope kid. It’s bad for your back and at your size, you’re gonna have enough of that already.”

     Kyoshi’s head snapped up. While she wasn’t looking the moon had shifted from behind the clouds. And standing in the moonlight was a water tribe man. He was older than the last time she had seen him. Dressed in simple clothes, he looked ready to travel. Or maybe make camp for the night.

     “Kuruk,” Kyoshi stood up and stepped around her desk. She wasn’t sure what she was doing. But she settled on a bow.

     “She’s right, you know?” The past Avatar pointed a thumb at the door behind him. “This is a good thing you’re doing. I never thought to do something like that for Yangchen. Then again she outlived her companions. And with the whole Nomad thing she never got to know her children.”

     “It’s the least you deserve,” Kyoshi muttered awkwardly. Perhaps she should have gotten his permission before she reached out to his family.

     “Here’s some free advice,” Kuruk said lightly. “Don’t worry too much about what the dead deserve. That’s a badger mole warren without a bottom. But my folks could use the closure. Ummi’s too. So thank you, Avatar Kyoshi.” Before she answered the tall woman took a second to chew her lip.

     “I’m going to worry about what you deserve at least,” She said carefully. Kuruk offered a bemused smile and chuckled ruefully.

     “She was right about the other thing too.” He said with a more earnest smile. “You’re pretty damn far from the worst Avatar.”

     Kyoshi didn’t answer. She just crossed her arms and leaned back against her desk. There wasn’t much she could say on the subject. Not without trying to push the title onto Kuruk instead. And he definitely wasn’t the worst Avatar. But it seemed Kuruk could tell what was going on in her head. The spirit sighed but spoke clearly and authoritatively.

     “Look kid,” He said. “I’m your elder, at least for another thirteen years or so. So listen up because I’m gonna say this a lot, in as many ways as I can, until then.”

     Kuruk straightened his back. His face set into a look of serene determination. And when he spoke it was without hesitation or qualification.

     “You, Avatar Kyoshi, are going to be one of the greats. You are uncompromising in the face of injustice. Ferocious in the face of evil. Compassionate in the face of suffering. Humble when faced with your own power. And courageous in the face of your self-doubt. I could not ask for, or envision, a better successor.” When he finished speaking he bowed deeply towards her.

     Kyoshi wasn’t sure when she had started crying. But by the time he finished tears were running down her cheeks. She dabbed her eyes with her sleeve and swallowed heavily several times. 

     “Sorry I…” The taller woman choked out. She idly wondered if she would cry in front of all her past lives by the time she was done.

     “It’s all right,” He said gently. “Though you do look like you could use a hug.”

     The words were barely said before Kyoshi lunged. She scooped up her past life and squeezed with all her might. Like everyone else, she was taller than Kuruk. So the poor water Avatar couldn’t do much but awkwardly try to return the hug as he was dangled in the air. But that didn’t matter to Kyoshi. Sometimes she needed a hug, and sometimes she needed to hug. And this was the former. So she just held on tight for as long as she could.

     “Alright,” Kuruk said, patting her on the back as best he could with his arms pinned to his side. “I may not technically need to breathe anymore, but I’m pretty sure it’ll be bad if you break my ribs.”

     Kyoshi muttered an apology as she lowered her venerable mentor back to the grown. She offered him a bashful smile. 

     “Well that seemed to help,” Kuruk said, gingerly rubbing his sides. “But isn’t there someone else who could give you a better hug? And maybe more.”

     “Oh, uh, well…” Kyoshi blushed all the harder. But she still returned his lecherous smile.

     “Exactly, so no more dawdling,” Kuruk lectured with faux seriousness. “Not every Avatar is lucky enough to bag a Sei’naka lady. So don’t keep her waiting.”

     “Thank you for your wisdom, Avatar Kuruk.” Kyoshi was only half joking. She knew that beneath the joke there was a genuine lesson. With one final bow, she left her office and silently rushed down the hall.

…

     When the door shut Kuruk felt himself drift, like a kite with a cut string. Kyoshi was his tether to the physical world. Without her, he was pulled back to the spirit world. He was once again in his glade. Alone with his thoughts. 

     He crossed his legs as he sat back down. It seemed that meditation was about ninety percent of a past Avatar’s afterlife. But that suited him. His life had left them with a lot to think about.

     “Jianzhu, Kelsang I hope you’ve found peace,” Kuruk said, gravely.

     “Mom, Dad, Vanih, Hovreq, Nyahitha, Hei-Ran I hope you can forgive me.”

     For the first few years after he died Kuruk pondered on a way to improve his situation. But eventually, he came away with a dire conclusion. Existence wasn’t his to fix. All he could hope for was that those he left behind would do better than him. And his mess didn’t doom his successor. 

     All he could hope for was closure.

     “Damn,” He said with a ghost of a laugh. “That kid’s something else.”

     He looked up. Snow was beginning to fall around him. Pure white, motes danced through the air on some unseen, unfelt breeze. It formed into a clean, unbroken sheet around him. And through it, all his blue eyes pierced the flurry. In the distance, a tree loomed. A huge, twisted thing, devoid of leaf or life. And within its roots, an evil lurked.

    “I’m not done yet,” His voice was cold and carried on the wind. “Ummi. Just hold in a little longer.”