He was truly an idiot.
Air Nomads.
("We're nomads, happy to go wherever the wind takes us!")
What if the wind took them away too? What if they weren't all in the temples when the Fire Nation attacked? What if they were alive?
After all, the four nations weren't always isolated from each other.
If Aang had a silver piece for every time he believed his people had vanished off the face of the Earth, he would have finally been able to afford that waterbending scroll. Maybe even that creepy monkey statue.
He's not sure how he should react to this. Where were they? Did they hate him?
For not protecting his people? Their ancestors?
And yet, there's a part of Aang that doesn't feel the need to search for them anymore. Because he has a family now and he's not alone. Because maybe the others have a family too. Maybe today is the day one of them discovers their bending ability. Maybe they'll never discover it, forever living with that small family on the outskirts of town with a younger brother who has just moved his first rock.
And they will push away those thoughts of jealousy to support this little boy, because they know that they are different. Maybe not how, but they are. And it's not the outcast kind of different. It's that special feeling – like you alone possess this fact.
Aang just hopes they're happy knowing this, because maybe he'll meet one someday. And they'll talk, and he'll know too, that they're different. He'll teach them about their history and the sky bison and gliders. And then they'll part ways, but this time, both will feel fulfilled.
And that's really all he needs.