Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was easy to fall asleep when the sun was at the perfect warmth on a crisp spring day. The tall grasses swayed back and forth, the light breeze greeting her with rustling noises in the vegetation. Even the birds couldn’t help themselves with their light chattering from the trees surrounding the outskirts of the meadow. Jesa softly opened her eyes and looked at the sky above her. Large, fluffy white clouds moved along their way and occasionally provided a patch of shade that cooled her warming skin.

She had been sent on an errand to check in on the more distant sky bison fields. After confirming the herd was fine, Jesa flopped down into the soft grass, taking a moment away from the constant monotony of the temple. There were always chores, training, readings, or meditations to get done, and for just a moment, she wanted to enjoy the peacefulness of nature.

It had been a month since she received her tattoos and became a master airbender. While she appreciated everyone’s high regard towards her, the pressure was overwhelming on occasion. Jesa had spent the entirety of her young life learning the disciplines and teachings of the Air Nation, but when she looked towards the sky, she felt an undying urge to leave on her bison’s back to see the world beyond what she had already seen. She wanted to touch the icebergs in the Poles, see the glorious streets of Caldera City, and trek through every bit of the Earth Nation.

“Jesa!”

The girl wished to sink into the ground and become one with the grass. Lucky for her, the voice that called out was her best friend, which meant she wasn’t in trouble yet.

“I’m over here!” Jesa yelled back, raising her hand so Samaya could find where she had sprawled in the meadow.

It was only a few seconds before orange and yellow robes overtook the view of the sky above her. “Do you realize how long you’ve been gone?” Samaya asked.

“No idea,” Jesa said. “Why? Who is getting angry?”

“Only everyone!” Samaya exclaimed as she threw her arms into the air. “And when they can’t find you, they come to me and pester me about where you went and what you are doing. And then I have to stop what I am doing to track you down. Do you know how frustrating it is to be in the middle of an excellent book, only for the Abbess to force you to go on a wild turkey duck chase instead?”

Jesa stared at her friend silently during the outburst, only to laugh so hard that she had to grab her stomach. “Oh, settle down! Come, lie down with me and enjoy the weather. It’s beautiful out today.”

She patted the grass next to her and forced Samaya to sit at least.

“I don’t think it’s as funny as you do. You can’t just keep disappearing for long periods of time. People worry about you, you know?” Samaya said.

“They’re not worried about me. They’re worried about their newest Master Airbender.” Jesa took a deep breath and let out a large sigh. “Don’t you ever wonder what else is out there? What is beyond the places we are allowed to travel to?”

“I mean, who doesn’t wonder? There is much to the world, but we are both nearly ready to become sanctioned nomads. More adventures will come in due time,” Samaya said smartly before looking at Jesa, only to find her friend lost in the clouds again.

“Why can’t we travel and see the world now, though? What keeps us bound here or to the instructions we receive?” Jesa asked, never breaking her gaze away from the moving clouds. “Do we have to remain nuns or nomads or tied to the temples for the rest of our lives?”

“I sure hope I’m the only one you are sharing these thoughts with,“ Samaya said. “I can only imagine what anyone else would think if they heard you asking such things.”

Jesa finally looked over at her friend with a smile. “They would likely ask you what was wrong with me.” She poked Samaya in the ribs while sitting up, laughing as her friend squeaked before shoving her back.

“Come,” Samaya said as she stood up. “We don’t have to go straight back to the temple, but we should at least start meandering that way. Also, I already know what they need to speak to you about, and I think you’ll like it.”

She held her arm out, and Jesa gladly accepted, impatiently asking what she could possibly know. They walked with their arms linked, laughing and joking as Samaya told her about the panic awaiting them back at the temple.

—————

Excitement filled the air as Jesa packed up her sky bison, Longyan, for a trip to the Southern Air Temple. The Elders permitted Samaya to join Jesa in her assignment to retrieve a collection of scrolls and relics. It was nothing overly exciting, but Jesa couldn’t wait to be flying away from the temple and with her best friend, nonetheless.

Instructions were given to stop by several abbeys to check their conditions and ensure the air acolytes were comfortable with their arrangements. It was a simple first assignment for the Master Airbender, and she was ready to start taking on tasks that she found more meaningful.

Samaya arrived with her bags and helped load their provisions onto Longyan’s saddle. Ensuring every knot was secure, Samaya gave the all clear, and the duo made their way towards their destination.

Jesa looked over her shoulder to see the Eastern Air Temple slowly fading from view. She glanced at Samaya, who was already entranced in a book, before looking ahead again. The trip itinerary was loose, and she decided they would take care of the abbeys first before going to the Southern Air Temple. This route would ensure they could have a straight shot home once they took ownership of the valuables they would receive.

After steering Longyan in the right direction and double-checking the route to the first abbey on the map, Jesa stepped down into the saddle and tapped Samaya’s boot with her own. “What are you reading now?”

Samaya didn’t even look up. “A book on the history of Yangchen.” Her friend finally put the book down. “I wish we could have met her.”

“Born a few years too late, I’m afraid,” Jesa said. “It would have been nice to meet her, though. Or any Avatar, for that matter.”

“Oh! What if we cross paths with Avatar Kuruk?” The smile on Samaya’s face was infectious.

“Like we’d be so lucky!” Jesa chuckled as she sat down next to her friend. “Besides, he is likely off with his group, having feasts and meeting with dignitaries, not going to abbeys.”

“Fair enough.” Her friend went back to reading with a shrug. As they flew along in comfortable silence, Jesa wondered how neat it would have been to meet Yangchen. The selfless, compassionate Yangchen, who brought so much peace to the world, and whom many had come to adore.

It made Jesa wonder what it was like to know exactly what your life’s path would be like at such a young age. Every historical recollection stated that Yangchen knew she was the Avatar since she was very young and mastered all four elements quickly. From that moment, the past Avatar knew what her purpose in life was and made strides to be the person she envisioned. It made Jesa realize that while she was well-regarded at the temples, she had no idea what her life’s purpose was.

Year in and year out, she spent all of her time training and studying. If she wasn’t busy with those two things, she was helping to take care of the air temple. Everything she did was another step toward remaining a key figure at the temple and staying on the pedestal she had been placed on. It made her feel a bit lost in such an expansive world. Perhaps Samaya was right, and the trip would help ease her wanderlust and confusion in life.

—————

The first half of their trip went smoothly. Each abbey visited was kept to a quality standard and the surrounding villages offered an abundance of alms. The nuns and monks greeted Jesa and Samaya with open arms and provided kind hospitality. After weeks of traveling, they finally arrived at the Southern Air Temple for the primary purpose of the entire trip.

A monk slightly older than Jesa but whose frame was significantly larger, making anyone feel like an ant in comparison, greeted them upon arrival. His enviable beard was one to be impressed with, no matter how often it was seen. He bowed and smiled at them both.

“Sister Jesa, Sister Samaya, it is a pleasure to see you both again,” he said.

“Brother Kelsang, it is a great surprise to see you here. Are we graced with the Avatar’s presence as well?” Jesa asked as she tried to politely peer around the broad man.

“Not this time. Avatar Kuruk is back in the Earth Kingdom with the others. I’m here to meet with the Council of Elders on behalf of the Avatar,” Kelsang replied, failing to cover the minor boredom in his voice.

Jesa smirked. “Well, it sounds like you got stuck with the fun part. How is Avatar Kuruk?”

Kelsang stepped aside and motioned for them to continue towards the council chambers while they spoke. “The Avatar is doing well, for the most part. He can be distracted easily.”

“He will settle in eventually,” Samaya chimed in.

“I certainly hope you are right,” Kelsang said. They discussed the scrolls being sent to the Eastern Air Temple for the library. Naturally, Samaya was excited and explained each one they were receiving. When they were children, Jesa had joked that her friend would eventually become the Eastern Air Temple’s head librarian and scribe.

The quick meeting with the Elders went well. They were pleased to hear about the successes of the abbeys and Eastern Air Temple. They congratulated Jesa on her mastery tattoos and encouraged Samaya to keep working toward her own, knowing she wasn’t far behind her friend. After their meeting, Kelsang stayed behind to discuss his matters while Jesa and Samaya left to settle into their room in the guest quarters.

As quickly as they arrived, they left first thing the following morning.

—-------

They stopped in Tu Zin for the night to give Longyan a break before finishing the second half of the trip the next day. Jesa and Samaya walked around the small mining town, mostly meandering through the market. Several vendors stopped them and offered them alms in exchange for blessings. The two nuns did their due diligence and accepted the offers with gratitude while they gave back prayers for a fruitful harvest and safety in the mines.

As they left the market, a man darted around the corner and nearly ran into Jesa. She tried to catch the stumbling man. Instead, he quickly evaded her at the last second and continued tripping over his feet. Eventually, the side of a closed merchant's stand stopped his long fall, and he fell to the ground.

“Not very graceful, are you?” Jesa quipped.

“Have you ever seen a graceful Earthbender?” He responded, easing himself back to his feet.

There was shouting in the distance. Jesa looked around the corner to see a group of guards angrily charging in their direction. “You wouldn’t so happen to be getting chased by anyone, would you?”

The man’s eyes opened wide. He quickly looked around before vaulting over the abandoned stand he had stumbled into. “Please don’t tell them where I am. I beg you.”

Samaya’s eyes narrowed. “And why shouldn’t we? You’re not a thief, are you?”

He simply smiled in return, refusing to say anything more.

“Not answering is an answer within itself,” Samaya said.

As the shouting grew closer, the man ducked under the stand to hide himself from view. The guards careened around the corner and nearly took both Jesa and Samaya out. They all came to a screeching halt when they saw the two air nomad nuns in front of them.

“My apologies, sisters!” The head guard said, gasping for air as he bowed. “We are after a thief and saw him turn around this corner. You wouldn’t have happened to have seen him?”

Jesa looked to Samaya. “I don’t remember seeing anything suspicious, do you?”

Samaya’s look back at Jesa lacked any amusement. “No.”

Jesa looked toward the guards. “We did not see anything out of the ordinary. But we pray to the Spirits that you will succeed in your endeavor.”

“Thank you, sister.” All the guards bowed and continued their chase down the main market street, this time at a much slower pace as they walked through the crowd.

Once they were far enough away, Samaya looked at her friend. “Do you know how irresponsible that was?”

Jesa shrugged. “Have you ever thought thieves may steal for reasons beyond our understanding?”

The man poked his head out from under the booth. “Is it safe?”

Samaya rolled her eyes. “Yes, it’s safe. Why else would we be talking openly about the fact that we just helped you, a thief, get away?”

He scoffed. “You know, you’re not very friendly for a nun.”

“Says the honest thief?” Samaya retorted.

“Will both of you stop?” Jesa said, shaking her head. She finally looked at the young man. He was short, especially in comparison to her above-average height. His eyes were bright green in contrast to his tanned skin. His tousled sandy brown hair and crooked smile gave him a young and roguish charm. She found him to be quite attractive. The realization made her close her eyes and curse internally to herself.

“You better get going before the guards head back this way,” Jesa said.

The man nodded. “I suppose you are right. Thank you for the help, by the way.” He stared at her for a moment longer. “I hope to see you around here again.”

“Well, I doubt that will happen. We don’t come to this town, hardly ever,” Samaya grumbled.

“Maybe don’t bring this one next time,” he said as he winked and pointed a thumb toward Samaya. The statement made Jesa chuckle as the thief left, walking down an alleyway towards another path.

Samaya huffed. “Well, he was kind of rude.”

“You weren’t exactly nice to him either, Samaya,” chuckled Jesa. “He was kind of cute and charming.”

Her friend’s eyes grew wide. “Jesa. No.”

Jesa laughed and elbowed her friend. “Oh, calm down. Come on. We should get back to our inn.”

—-------

A loud thud on the window woke Jesa up. She shrugged it off as a random sound and let herself drift back to sleep—until the thud happened again. Carefully, she crawled out of bed and walked to the window. After pushing the window open, she looked down to find the thief from earlier standing there, two stories below, and looking up.

“Hi!” He whispered loudly up towards her.

“Did you follow me?” Jesa said back.

The man shrugged. “Perhaps a little.”

“A little? You being below my window does not imply a little. How did you know what room I was in?” Jesa questioned, almost impressed but primarily concerned about being followed.

The man looked to his left down the side of the building. “Uh, let’s just say that many people are very awake and very angry now.”

Jesa shook her head. “You’re not too bright, are you?”

“The name is Hark,” he said with a wide smile.

“Jesa,” she said back.

“A name just as pretty as the person. Is there any chance you’d be willing to go out for a drink with me right now before you leave town and I never see you again?” Hark asked, nearly pleading.

She was glad that the night kept her features shadowed, allowing the blush across her face to be hidden. “I’m a nun, remember? We abstain from drinking.”

Hark’s face scrunched up as he thought for a moment. “I know a place with the finest water. You’ll love it!”

Jesa couldn’t help but laugh. It was rare that someone could make her laugh as genuinely as this random thief did. Could there be any harm in entertaining his idea? All she had to do was keep the information from Samaya, and no one would ever know. Surely that wouldn’t be too difficult a task. “Give me a moment. Then I’ll be downstairs, okay?”

Hark nearly jumped out of his boots in excitement. “You bet!”

Jesa closed her window and got dressed in her robes. When leaving the room, she quietly opened and closed the door so that Samaya would not hear from the room next door. She met Hark downstairs. He led them through the streets to a bustling area full of bars and nightlife. At the very end of the stretch was a small tea shop.

Hark opened the door and ushered Jesa inside. It was quaint and relatively empty compared to all the bars they passed along the way. They walked over to a table in the corner.

“And to think that we were going to a bar so you could drink,” Jesa said as Hark pulled the chair out for her to sit, gently gliding it under her as she sat down.

“I enjoy a drink here and there, but if my company abstains from drinking, I will as well. Besides, this place has amazing jasmine green tea. It’ll be refreshing after a day of evading certain people,” Hark joked with that crooked smile again. A waiter came to their table and took their order before disappearing into the kitchen.

“What exactly were you running away from, by the way?” Jesa asked.

Hark pursed his lips and squinted his eyes, debating what to say. “You want the truth?”

Jesa rolled her eyes. “Of course, I want the truth. Why would I want someone to lie to me?”

“Fair point,” Hark said. He leaned forward over the table and lowered his voice. “There is a small band of thieves in the surrounding area, and this town’s guards have recently discovered that I may be involved with them.”

“Are you?”

“Oh, absolutely! I run said band of thieves,” Hark said with a shrug. “Look, the governor who owns this area is a horrible person. He rations water. The majority of the supply goes towards businesses that get forced to turn around and pay him heavy taxes because they should be grateful he allowed them the water in the first place. If you don’t own a business, you must have a special card to receive your daily rations.”

Jesa’s jaw dropped in surprise. “Seriously? The governor does that to his people?”

“Willingly and happily,” Hark added. “And then they turn around and tell the Earth King everything is prosperous in their area. They prosper, the Earth King prospers, and the governors get extra funding to hoard it all to themselves.”

“This is unbelievable,” Jesa said. Their conversation ceased as the waiter returned with the teapot and two cups. They thanked him before Hark picked up the teapot to pour a cup for each of them. “You have better manners than I’d expect for a simple thief.”

“Not every thief is from the gutters,” Hark said, carefully pushing a cup toward Jesa.

“You know, it is very unfair of me to assume that. I apologize.” Jesa looked up at the man and caught him gazing at her with bright green eyes.

He shrugged. “No sweat off my back. Worse has been assumed and said about me.” Hark propped his elbow on the table and leaned his chin on his palm. “So, what are two nuns doing in Tu Zin?”

“We had to check on a few abbeys in the southern half of the Earth Kingdom and visit the Southern Air Temple,” Jesa said. “We will be back at the Eastern Air Temple tomorrow.”

“Hm, that is unfortunate,” Hark frowned.

Jesa raised an eyebrow. “How so?”

“Because I would love to get to know you, but it seems we will have to wait for another lifetime when I am not a thief and you are not a nun. Those are two odds that don’t add together very well,” he sighed.

She tried to hide her frown with her eyes glancing down toward the table. Hark wasn’t wrong. And she would have loved to stay to get to know him better, too, but there was no way she could not return to the Air Temple. Jesa forced a smile on her face before looking back up at Hark. “So then, what were you doing before this?”

“Well, growing up, I lived in the middle ring in Ba Sing Se. My family has a deep lineage within the Royal Theatre School, so I was once an actor,” Hark said. “By the time I was born, my family was well on their way to poverty. They never bothered to tell any of us. Better to let the kids not worry, right? Eventually, I found out and picked up more acting gigs to continue through school. When that wasn’t enough, I began picking up errands as an information runner and helping on small jobs with the daofei in the lower ring. It was enough to keep my family afloat, but I never told them how I was getting the money.”

“And did they eventually find out?” Jesa asked.

“Of course they did. And they promptly disowned me because what I was doing was a disgrace to the family.” Hark’s face twisted before he shrugged it off.

Jesa was taken aback. “You ultimately were helping them stay out of poverty, and they disowned you?”

“Shortly after I left Ba Sing Se, I received a letter from my brother. He was the only one who had kept in touch with me. They got kicked out of the middle ring and moved into the lower ring. They are likely still there, but I wouldn’t know. I haven’t spoken to any of them in a few years,” Hark said.

“Does it ever make you, I don’t know, sad that you don’t talk to them?” Jesa asked.

“It doesn’t seem to make them sad to not talk to me, so it’s tough to say,” Hark said. “Enough about me. What about you? Do you enjoy being an air nomad nun, Sister Jesa?”

“Oh, please don’t call me that,” she blushed as Hark chuckled. “To answer your question, some days I love it and others not so much. I am somehow respected enough to be in line to become an Abbess in my eventual old age. I don’t know how everyone assumed I’d be a good fit for the position, either. All I know is that I don’t look forward to it at all.”

“What do you look forward to?” Hark asked.

“Becoming an actual Air Nomad. Traveling with my sky bison. To not be cooped up at the temple day in and day out.” Jesa could feel herself drifting into one of her daydreams of seeing the world.

“You have a sky bison?” Hark nearly jumped from his seat.

Jesa squinted her eyes at the man across from her. “How else do you think we got here? We sure didn’t walk from the Eastern Air Temple.”

Hark’s face fell flat. “Are all airbenders this sassy?”

“Only with silly men who ask silly questions,” Jesa replied with a grin.

They both stared at each other before bursting into laughter loud enough to attract looks from other customers. Hark cleared his throat and looked at Jesa with a saddened expression. “What are the chances I can see you again? Or at least contact you, send you letters, maybe?”

“You know my name. You know which temple I reside at. Nothing is keeping you from sending letters,” Jesa said.

“It’s not against the rules that you get letters from non-air nomads or anything?” Hark questioned.

“Oh, no. Airbenders are allowed to have friends and lovers or whatever outside of the temples. It’s not like we are celibate. If we were, there’d be no more airbenders.” The joke made Hark chuckle.

Jesa sighed. “I should probably get back to the inn.”

Hark nodded solemnly. “I suppose so.”

They slowly walked back to the inn, neither of them genuinely wanting to part as they continued in easy conversation with each other. In a way, it felt like they had always known each other and were old friends meeting again after some years apart. Hark was easy to talk to, and he was charming to look at.

When their night ended, Jesa walked inside, trying her best not to look over her shoulder. Once she made it to her room, she sat down on the bed and contemplated what exactly she was going to do. This wasn’t a scenario she had expected herself to be in. Falling for someone wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, but that someone being a daofei would not go over well.

Jesa stood up from the bed and walked to the window. Looking out, she saw Hark slowly walk around the corner, chin to chest and dragging his feet. She cursed to herself and immediately asked the Spirits for forgiveness.

Chapter Text

There was nothing better these days than waking up in their comfortable bed with an arm wrapped protectively around her midsection. Rangi nearly refused to open her eyes, wanting to let the outside world pass by for a moment while she and Kyoshi stayed sleeping in peace. They had arrived back home from Ba Sing Se the previous evening, and after what could be considered a failed trip, Rangi could easily spend her day doing anything except for all the work on her docket. It was a distant and likely unrealistic dream that maybe one day they would be rewarded with more than a fleeting moment of peace.

Today wasn’t that fateful day. Nor would the next. Preparedness won the day and there was a lot of ground to cover before she could slow down.

Rangi took in another minute of the warmth enveloping her before forcing herself to snap awake. Careful not to wake Kyoshi up, she rolled out of bed and placed her feet on the cold ground. The cool air in their bedroom pricked her bare skin as she made her way to the armoire to get dressed for the day. Perhaps there would also come a time when she wasn’t naturally up before the break of dawn, but for now, it remained her routine.

Luckily, being home meant that Rangi could be more casual in her appearance. She still wore her uniform robes, but went without the armor. It had taken time to allow herself the small leisure, putting trust in the guards of the estate so that she could focus on what felt like everything else. Rangi leaned back and stretched her arms overhead, willing the stiffness to leave, but flinched a little as the muscle along her spine tightened and seized for a moment. The injury sustained from her fight with Yun still occasionally flared up. Rangi hoped that with enough persistence in stretching and strengthening, the area would become less bothersome. She had been both right and wrong in the assumption.

Before leaving the room, she placed a quick kiss on Kyoshi’s cheek, gave Kyoshi’s animal companion, Fox, a few scritches behind the ears, and silently left the room to begin her day. Her quiet steps led her through the house that was of much simpler design now. After the battle with Yun, the past estate was in a major state of disrepair and ruin, therefore justifying the complete destruction of Jianzhu’s self-proclaimed masterpiece. None of them wanted to be reminded of anything he had created anyway. Rangi had worked tirelessly with the tradesmen of both her clan and the town of Yokoya to create a design more befitting to the Era of Kyoshi. The result was a modestly designed estate that could still host visitors and dignitaries, as well as house the core group of residents and workers.

There was nothing gawdy about the home anymore. There was no blending of the architectural styles of the four nations. It was made of timber from local mills and assembled by skilled artisans of the craft. Of course, there were a few things that got well-needed upgrades, and the kitchen was one of them. Auntie Mui had demanded a layout that made more sense and deemed that they needed more storage space for goods and supplies. Rangi had given in, under the agreement that Auntie Mui would be in charge of inventory and would work with Jinpa on keeping the related ledgers up to date.

Then, expectedly, Atuat had forced herself into the plans after hearing about the kitchen upgrades. The healer demanded a state-of-the-art infirmary because “Kyoshi and her friends deserved only the best treatment from the greatest doctor.” Rangi didn’t see any flaw in the reasoning and made it happen.

Rangi stepped through the doorway of the revamped kitchen, welcoming the warmth of the large room. It was filled with fire pits and stoves, and a large butcher block island in the center for food preparation. Immediately, she was swarmed by Auntie Mui.

“Good morning! It’s so good to see you back safely, dear!” the woman said, nearly squeezing the air from Rangi’s lungs in a massive hug. Rangi squeaked out her respective greetings before she was ushered to a small table in the corner. “You sit here and wait a moment. I’m sure you need food. I can’t have my girls going hungry.”

Auntie Mui continued rambling to herself as she rushed through the kitchen, one of the handful of people typically awake this early to start the day. The woman had elected to stay at the estate, citing that she wanted nothing more than to keep taking care of “her girls” and the household. Her domain was ultimately the kitchen, but she often helped Hei-Ran in the running of the whole house whenever Rangi left on the Avatar's business.

There was a time not long ago when Rangi held her nose up in the wake of kitchen staff and scullery maids, walking with an air of superiority. After spending time with The Flying Opera Company, being blindsided by the realization of her mother’s mortality, and her personally surviving the brink of death, Rangi had a new appreciation for everything and everyone around her. Especially for those who handled the daily critical tasks throughout the estate. Even more so when she was gone.

Her silent musings were interrupted by Auntie Mui throwing various plates of food down onto the table. A bowl of steamed rice, small dishes of various pickled vegetables, a massive fluffy omelette, and a small canister of spicy chili oil. After a month of traveling the Earth Kingdom, Rangi was excited to finally have some spice back on the table.

Auntie Mui poured hot tea for both of them. “I used to make this blend for your mom back before… well, you know. It’s a blend of wild lettuce, mullein, ginger root, lemongrass, and spirits claw root. It helps with inflammation and muscle pain.”

Rangi looked down at the cup and then back up at the woman. “Why. How did you-,”

“I’ve noticed you’ve been stretching your back a lot more, especially after sitting still for a long time. If it can help my aging bones, then it will help you,” Auntie Mui winked and sat down across from Rangi. “So, tell me, how was the visit with the Earth King?”

Rangi rolled her eyes as she took a large bite of food. “Nearly useless. The man believes he rules everyone, including the Avatar.”

“I take that as no success in helping trade come to port?” Auntie Mui asked.

“There are other priorities he wants handled before he makes Yokoya an officially declared trade port,” Rangi said. “We are nearly 325 years removed from the Platinum Affair and we haven’t had Shang cities to control trading since Avatar Yangchen, yet here we are, unable to get trade approval for a single small port.”

The woman across from her took a drink of her tea. “Other priorities? Like what?”

Rangi shrugged and took a few bites of food, enjoying the spice that the spoonfuls of hot chili brought. “He was nondescript, I couldn’t tell you,” she said. “The sun and the moon revolve around Earth King Yi Ming.”

“Well, certainly you will come to a solution eventually,” Auntie Mui said, the belief in her words strong. “Now, as for you, I’m glad to see your eating has slowed down and that you don’t inhale food faster than a tigerdillo anymore. Though you still eat too fast for a proper young lady."

Rangi smirked. “Plenty of dinners with dignitaries now. It’s not exactly smiled upon to finish a plate in minutes flat. They don’t find it very flattering, apparently,” she said, finishing up the last few bites and sips of tea before standing up. “That being said, some habits don't fully leave. Thank you for breakfast, Auntie Mui.” She bowed to Auntie Mui in appreciation.

“Anything for you, my dear. I’m going to make a huge stock of that tea blend so that you can take it with you on trips,” the woman said as she gave Rangi another hug that reduced the air from her lungs once more. Rangi helped her clear the small table in the kitchen before making her way through the hallways and out the front of the house.

The rest of the world was still asleep while the Avatar’s estate slowly rose to greet the day. As the weather began to change into the autumn months, a crisp chill filled the air as a fresh layer of dew covered the grass. Maple trees were beginning the color transformation of their leaves, while the local pines were happy to greet the gradually decreasing temperature.

Rangi reminded herself to start considering a long-sleeve undershirt in the arriving weeks. Though she had natural warmth and didn’t mind the cooler air after experiencing what Agna Q’ela had to offer, she would still rather be layered up than potentially get too chilled.

“Lieutenant, it’s good to see you all home safe,” Captain Tian called out from the front gate while snapping into a smart salute. Tian was an Earthbender native to the southern coast who spent years working in the ranks within Ba Sing Se before retiring to the private sector. He had been hired onto the security staff at the estate and easily took a significant burden off of Rangi’s back by managing the guards.

Rangi saluted back before bowing her head with a smile. “Thank you, Captain. Did we miss anything?”

They began strolling to the main guard tower. “Nothing at all,” Tian said with a grin that showed off his missing tooth. The man often boasted about a fight he got into many years ago, and seeing the gap between his teeth always amused Rangi. “A dull day is a good day, that’s what I say.”

“I can agree with that,” Rangi said. “Is there anything you or your guards need?”

Tian shrugged. “Cold weather is coming up, so some upgraded gear for the winter season would be nice. Well-lined layers, all that nonsense. It would be nice not to freeze when on outside duty.”

“I was just thinking the same on the way out here.” Rangi paused to ponder the estate’s budget in her mind. “I’ll need a few weeks to get everything ordered and shipped here. Does that work?”

“That’ll be just in time. Thank you for actually taking care of your people.” With a sigh, the man continued his thoughts. “You have no idea how difficult it was to get anything done in Ba Sing Se without it taking months to years. Politicians ruin all efficiency.”

Rangi chuckled, thinking of the month-long trip she had just made regarding trade routes. “Trust me, I understand. The worst part is them expecting you to play their games without telling you the rules.”

“Spoken like a true soldier,” Tian joked as he patted Rangi on the back in jest. “You’re young, you’ll figure it all out. Just keep in mind that you can’t trust anyone who sits in a fancy chair. The only thing they care about is their purse.”

Her eyebrow twitched at the sentiment. “Thanks. Please let me know if you think of anything else you may need. I need to head out and-,”

“Meet your mother for training,” he finished for her. “Give her my best regards.” Tian gave a bow, his hands placed in a traditional Earth Kingdom position.

Rangi bowed back before turning sharply on her heel, picking up her pace to almost run across the grounds. The last thing she wanted was to be late for training with her mother, but despite her efforts, the older woman still gave her a scolding when she finally arrived at the training grounds.

“Young lady, are you getting into a bad habit of being late?” Hei-Ran snapped, standing straight up in the middle of the training ring.

“No, Mother. I had to check in with Captain Tian,” Rangi said as she stepped into the sanded area. “Besides, this training isn’t for me, it’s for you. Which makes me the Sifu, which means we abide by my time, yes?”

Hei-Ran squinted at her daughter. “I suppose you’re right. What’s on the agenda today?”

“Warm up with the basics, then we move on to the Northern forms,” Rangi said as she took Hei-Ran’s cane and placed it on a nearby bench. She returned to her mother and took a ready position beside her. “At your go.”

Hei-Ran slowly and steadily moved through the basic forms of Firebending technique. They were moves that a Firebender learned at a very young age, but due to the woman’s previously weakened state from the poisoning and the neck wound, Hei-Ran was having to retrain her entire body. Every morning that Rangi was at the estate, they met at dawn for training, just as they had when Yun was still the Avatar and Rangi was growing up in the Fire Nation. This had been their routine for many years now.

When they first started this setup nearly a year ago, Rangi had to catch her mother from stumbling and falling several times. It was tough to watch. Hei-Ran was the one who taught her everything she knew about firebending, and now she was here, having to help rehabilitate the once-powerful firebender. However, her mother asked not to receive pity, and for that, Rangi admired her mother more in a new light.

The drills this morning went by without a fault. Hei-Ran’s form had become solid once more, each move sharper than the day before, and her fire becoming more consistent. There were a few pauses in the training as Rangi corrected her mother's form, knowing she wanted nothing but the standard perfection. Once they eased through the training plan, they bowed to each other and walked to retrieve Hei-Ran’s cane. The woman didn’t necessarily need it anymore. She could walk just fine. Due to her fire once being diminished and now still lacking in full strength, Rangi had a special cane made from a swordsmith in Shu Jing Village. With a twist of the hilt, it would unlock, and a sword would be accessible. From an unknowing eye, it looked like an everyday cane. This special one made certain that Hei-Ran had a means of protecting herself. Mostly, it put some ease on Rangi’s mind.

A lot of responsibility had fallen in her lap over the past year alone while she also recovered from her own wounds. She had become a family leader within her clan. She had taken over the project of rebuilding the estate and establishing better relations with the Yokoya mayor and citizens. Despite her growing disdain for politics, she had become a spearhead in assisting Kyoshi with creating treaties and striking deals with the ambassadors and emissaries from different nations. Rangi helped with the training of her mother and Kyoshi. If Jinpa got overwhelmed, she would take on part of the bookkeeping between the estate and the Avatar. If there was a task to be done, Rangi was somehow tied to it. It was exhausting, but it kept her busy, and she enjoyed the work more than being idle.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind,” Hei-Ran said, interrupting her thoughts.

Rangi shrugged. “Nothing too major. Thinking about everything that needs to be done before leaving again, whenever that is.”

There was a lot to be done. Requests and requisitions. Recovery. Restocking. A follow-up meeting with the mayor of Yokoya.

“Don’t exhaust yourself,” said Hei-Ran. “Auntie Mui, Atuat, and I keep this place running perfectly well when you’re gone. And Captain Tian. You don't have to take everything on."

“I know,” replied Rangi. She glanced over at the woman with a smirk. "But look at who my mother is."

Hei-Ran scoffed, amused. She looked at her daughter, knowing that no matter what she said, it wouldn’t keep Rangi from stressing over every detail. “You have done a great job of getting everything rebuilt and running again. Trust the ones you put in charge and focus on the Avatar, understood?”

Rangi took a deep breath and let out a long sigh. “Understood.”

—————

Kyoshi slowly woke up a few hours after Rangi. Her groggy eyes nearly refused to open, but she forced them to do so by blinking a few times. The ceiling came into focus as she lay there on her back, staring and thinking.

Her first thought was about how she didn’t understand how Rangi could so willingly leap out of bed. There was the whole aspect of military training, but she was now a handful of years removed from her schooling. Kyoshi’s second thought revolved around her day. Not traveling meant transitioning back to her daily routine at the estate. Training, studying, meditations, and anything and everything the Avatar was expected to do in their day-to-day.

She continued to lie there and stare upwards. Her mind now wandered about how Yangchen and Szeto managed to accomplish anything among the humans during their respective eras. No matter how much she tried, Kyoshi was not a politician and had minimal patience for those who didn’t understand the error of their greedy ways. She could only forgive and excuse them so much before action seemed appropriate. For that, she was grateful once more for Rangi. Although she claimed to dislike being involved in politics, she played the game well and kept Kyoshi within the bounds. Growing up in the intricate customs of the Fire Nation, especially closer to the royal palace, allowed Rangi to quickly switch into a better-suited and more tasteful demeanor that the upper class seemed to accept.

Maybe with a few more years of practice she would finally get a hold of everything, but given she had been the Avatar for only three years now, she tried to give herself a slight bit of forgiveness. After all, Ba Sing Se wasn’t built in a day.

It was finally time for Kyoshi to get around for her day. After washing up and changing into her robes, she stepped towards the door. Fox quickly sat up before casually sinking into a long stretch and yawn. Kyoshi smiled as she watched. “Ready to start the day?”

Fox gave an excited chatter before demanding behind-the-ear scratches first. It was a morning routine now that Rangi had spent plenty of time spoiling the animal into expectations. Kyoshi more than willingly abided and continued down the halls towards the kitchen. In comparison to the estate that existed when Yun was the Avatar and Jianzhu was in charge, the new estate was much more relaxed and significantly less formal. Workers acknowledged Kyoshi’s presence and greeted her, instead of bowing incessantly out of fear of inconveniencing her. There was a dining room, but it was used in formal settings. Otherwise, everyone utilized a smaller table off to the side of the kitchen.

Auntie Mui greeted her with a warm hug and a generous spread of food. The woman doted upon Kyoshi in her typical excessive manner and was in the middle of telling Kyoshi about a funny story when Rangi walked into the kitchen.

Kyoshi couldn’t help but smile. Everything was so beautiful about her fiery love that her admiring stares and smiles often occurred without much thought. Rangi was dressed in her usual attire, this time without any armor on. It was the privilege of finally being in a safe location where they were tucked away from harm. Finally having a place like this helped Kyoshi find some much-needed balance and stability in her life.

“I don’t mean to rush you, but my mother wants to meet with both of us once you have finished,” Rangi said. She glanced at Auntie Mui, who was very obviously holding back the urge to ask what they were meeting about.

There was no obliging her on this information, though. Kyoshi remembered Hei-Ran mentioning that there was correspondence from the Southern Air Temple when they had arrived home yesterday evening. It was very rare for Kyoshi to hear anything from the Air Temples. More often than not, they had everything in order and hardly needed the Avatar’s assistance.

Kyoshi took a few more quick bites of food before getting up and helping take everything to the sinks. She thanked Auntie Mui and walked with Rangi to their meeting. Rangi gently grazed her hand across the back of Kyoshi’s and smiled up at her.

“How’d you sleep?” Rangi asked.

“Solid, for once. Felt nice to finally sleep without any nightmares,” Kyoshi said. “There’s something about not being here that makes it difficult to sleep.”

Rangi nodded, thinking over her words. She smiled up at Kyoshi. "I'm glad I was able to make a place where you feel safe and comfortable."

"Having you around always helps with that." She chuckled when Rangi made a playful, disgusted noise in response to the comment. Kyoshi took Rangi in again. While she enjoyed the sight of Rangi in her armor, there was something about the firebender just wearing her standard uniform that could melt Kyoshi into her boots. A warm blush crept up her neck and she shook her head to focus again. “What’s this meeting about?”

“No idea,” Rangi said, shrugging her shoulders as they entered a room with a long table. Hei-Ran and Jinpa were already there and seated. The monk looked more stressed than usual.

Hei-Ran looked up from the rolls of letters on the table. “Sit, ladies. We have a big issue, or should I say issues, to discuss.”

Kyoshi sat down across from the monk. “Will they explain why Jinpa looks like he is about to quit?”

Instead of speaking first, Hei-Ran glanced over at Jinpa, causing both Kyoshi and Rangi to look his way. He ran his hands over his bald head as he tried to find the words. “The Abbots at the Southern Air Temple are saying there have been reports of Spiritual disturbances across all four nations. They don’t go into much detail, but they are asking for the Avatar’s assistance in investigating the sites. Perhaps in hopes that you can talk peace with the Spirits.”

“What kind of disturbances?” Kyoshi asked.

“They didn’t really go into details,” said Jinpa. “There were mentions about how some monks have been having issues meditating into the Spirit World, or if they make it that far, many of the spirits seem agitated and defensive toward them.”

Kyoshi glanced at Hei-Ran. “Do you think this is anything residual from Kuruk’s time?”

The woman took a deep sigh, her lips settling into a straight line. “It’s possible. He fought many spirits, but that doesn’t mean he defeated them all or didn’t make them even more disgruntled in the process. Spirits can be finicky.”

She nodded and thought for a moment. “It is also possible that Yun’s previous exploration into the Spirit World left them upset and now it is starting to seep into the human world."

“I’m not sure the origin of the issue matters, but it is affecting Airbenders,” Jinpa cried out. “Kyoshi, if the spirits are upset with us or if they begin to fully disconnect us from the Spirit World, I’m not sure what that will mean for my people. Or even for the Avatar!”

“Then we will help,” Kyoshi said without a second thought. The monks at the Southern Air Temple had been nothing but inviting to her during her stay when she attempted to lay low after becoming the official Avatar. The least she could do was help them with some spiritual matters. Plus, between communicating with Yangchen and Kuruk, surely she could identify the main pain point and resolve the issue.

She glanced over at Rangi, who was thinking about the logistics. “Ideally, we need another day or two for Yingyong to get some rest. I need the time to get our travel reserves back together.”

“Then it’s settled. We leave in two days,” Kyoshi said.

Jinpa’s flash of a smile quickly faded back into a frown. “Thank you. I fear knowing how bad it could be if they are asking for the Avatar’s intervention. Typically, the monks and nuns can handle matters well enough on our own.”

“If they can’t handle it, then we will find a way.” Kyoshi didn’t know how she was going to do anything, but she had come to learn that it was sometimes better to hide behind a mask of confidence. The revelation made her wonder how much of Yun’s confidence was really an act, while inside his stomach twisted just as hers did.

“Well,” Rangi said, standing up and placing her hands on the table, “that was quicker than expected. Time for training!”

Kyoshi’s chin sank to her chest in defeat. It’s not that she didn’t enjoy training, she just knew that after a day or two off that the training was going to be more difficult than usual.

————-

Kirima sent a water whip snapping towards Kyoshi’s feet. With a downwards slice, Kyoshi cut the attack short with her own trail of water. She took a step back before stepping forward with an open-palm punch. With a small stutter step, Kyoshi lunged forward while bringing both of her arms overhead and down, ending with a swooping, driving motion that sent a torrent of water blasting towards Kirima.

The skilled waterbender dodged the majority of the attack but had to utilize a great deal of strength to hold back the power behind it. Moving quickly for a counter, Kirima straightened her right leg in front of her and bent forward, making a scooping motion at the ground. Water went spiraling towards Kyoshi. Kirima stepped through the attack and used her left hand to send another whip, this time under the cover of her previous attack.

Kyoshi managed to parry the first one but got caught by the second part of the offense. Rangi called the duel to a pause and walked towards Kyoshi. “Remember to anticipate your opponent's next move. You left yourself open by staying frontward facing. Close yourself off by turning. On that secondary attack, you can more easily counter by pulling and redirecting.”

Rangi moved into the position that she was explaining. “From here, you have the option for a single whip, or a fan, or a snake attack.” With each name, she demonstrated the movement to perfection. It would never cease to amaze Kyoshi how, despite only being a firebender, Rangi managed to master the forms of nearly any bending style. She could also adjust her firebending accordingly against anyone and it made her only that much better of a fighter.

“Also, remember that waterbending is about the push and pull,” Kirima chimed in. “Your earthbending is showing in some of your movements.”

Kyoshi took in the information with a nod and they continued training. Now that she could efficiently manage the basics of all four elements, training over the past year had gradually increased in difficulty. And while she didn’t have the master sages that previous Avatars may have had, she had friends with her best interests in mind. They wanted her to succeed and didn’t care about bolstering their appearance to the world.

After waterbending with Kirima, next was earthbending with Wong. They worked with more advanced movements that required precision and accuracy. First, everything was learned to perfection using her fans. Once that was accomplished, Wong would force Kyoshi to put the fans away and learn to become more precise without them. Kyoshi understood the importance of this, but it didn’t make the practice any less frustrating. It wasn’t just with earthbending either. With every element, there was an expectation that she learn without the fans.

Firebending training came next. This time, because they were home, Hei-Ran was back in her natural position as the teacher and often ran both Kyoshi and Rangi into the ground with katas and sparring rounds. High expectations were kept, with nothing but perfect movements allowed. If even one of them had a toe out of line, they would both have to start over from the very beginning. Kyoshi gained an understanding of an aspect of Rangi’s life, realizing that her perfectionism was not only part of her natural drive but also a result of years of training that had been imposed upon her. A beautiful gem formed under constant pressure.

Hei-Ran was relentless.

Lucky for her, the day ended with airbending and a very calm Jinpa guiding her through meditations and the thirty-six tiers of airbending. However, there was a problem: Jinpa had only mastered twenty of them before he left the temple, so her airbending was stunted until they could get to a temple to study further. That didn’t change the peacefulness of the process, though. Plus, this was the one bending style that she was better at than Rangi. There was some smug satisfaction about that.

Life and training at the estate in Yokoya were drastically different than when Jianzhu was in charge. Both Kyoshi and Rangi ensured it. Every member of the staff was happier. The house was more inviting to guests, and while it was still grand in its own way, there was a more humble quality to the building and grounds.

Yokoya residents were much more pleased with how the Avatar’s estate assisted the village, meaning they were significantly more accommodating to the needs of the estate nowadays. Jianzhu had wanted nothing to do with the village, except for the land he had purchased. He had let the needs of the village go unattended and left Rangi and Kyoshi to develop a relationship with them from the ground up.

Every now and then, Kyoshi would look over to the hill where Yun was buried and where they had built a memorial for Kelsang. She would wonder if they would both like what the team had built and created more than what they had been exposed to. She liked it more. Surely that meant Kelsang and Yun would have too.